Iran isn’t a problem to manage — it’s a threat to end
U.S. policy toward Iran has long been based on the flawed assumption that the regime can be contained or moderated through diplomacy, but this approach has only enabled Tehran to advance its nuclear program and expand regional influence. The article argues that containment has failed and that the only viable solution is regime change, given Iran's persistent violations of agreements and destabilizing actions. With internal pressures mounting, the author contends that strategic U.S. pressure could create an opening for meaningful change.
- ▪Iran supports militias across the Middle East and threatens global shipping, including in the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passes.
- ▪The 2015 nuclear deal failed due to sunset clauses, weak enforcement, and a narrow scope that allowed Iran to continue regional expansion.
- ▪The article asserts that a nuclear-capable Iran is an unacceptable risk and that temporary diplomatic measures have only delayed an inevitable crisis.
- ▪Regime change is presented as the only definitive solution, especially given Iran’s internal economic strain and declining legitimacy.
- ▪The author argues that the U.S. must pursue a strategy with a clear end state rather than continuing to manage an escalating threat.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
For years, U.S. policy toward Iran has been built on a dangerous illusion: that the regime can be contained, negotiated with, or slowly moderated over time. It hasn’t and it won’t. Every delay, every concession, and every half-measure has only strengthened Tehran’s hand, bringing it closer to nuclear capability and deeper control over a network of regional proxies. Washington is not managing the threat. It is watching it grow. Iran today sits at the center of instability across the Middle East. It arms and directs militias from Iraq to Lebanon, threatens global shipping lanes, and continues to expand its nuclear program. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint Tehran has repeatedly shown it is willing to disrupt.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Washington Examiner.
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