How to Weigh the Worth of the Iran Nuclear Deal

The mid-December deadline for Congress to determine whether to re-impose nuclear-related sanctions on Iran is rapidly approaching – with uncertain progress. Enacting these additional sanctions on Iran would effectively mean that the U.S. is unilaterally withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

• The JCPOA, reached between the P5 + 1 – the U.S., UK, France, Russia, China and Germany – and Iran in July 2015 and codified in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, directed Iran to reduce its nuclear program in exchange for releasing nearly $150 billion in frozen assets and the lifting of international sanctions targeting its nuclear program.
• United States President Donald Trump has made no secret of his antipathy towards the deal. On the campaign trail, Trump threatened to “rip up” the JCPOA on his first day in office, frequently calling the agreement the “worst deal ever.”
• The president, as mandated by Congress, is required to provide his stamp of approval regarding Iran’s compliance every 90 days. Despite his strong anti-JCPOA rhetoric, Trump twice - reluctantly - certified that Iran abided by its nuclear commitments.
• On October 13^th, Trump announced that he would not certify Iran’s compliance for a third time. The White House emphasized that although Iran had fulfilled the “technical” aspects of the deal, it was “unquestionably in default of the spirit” of the agreement.

The deal’s critics – including the White House – object to the narrow scope of the nuclear deal and its so-called “sunset clauses.” The JCPOA focused on issues related to Tehran’s nuclear-related activities and did not address Iran’s aggressive ballistic missile program.