Why the U.S. Should Not Have Made Allowances for Iran’s Civilian Nuclear Program https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/politics-current-affairs/2018/11/why-the-u-s-should-not-have-made-allowances-for-irans-civilian-nuclear-program/

November 12, 2018 | Jacob Nagel and Jonathan Schanzer
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Last week, the White House re-imposed hundreds of sanctions on the Islamic Republic in addition to creating new ones. But it also made a number of exceptions. Perhaps the most puzzling of these were the waivers allowing cooperation with Iran’s civilian nuclear projects—all of which have been tied to its clandestine efforts to build nuclear weapons. Jacob Nagel and Jonathan Schanzer write:

The Europeans, in their tenacious bid to save what is left of the nuclear deal, argue that providing Iran overt access to nuclear technology under Western supervision is better than Iran secretly making advances without oversight. This is a line also repeated by think tanks in Washington. But . . . Iran would almost certainly pursue both. And if the goal is to prevent Iran from accruing nuclear knowledge, for fear that it may make a dash for the bomb at a later date, providing assistance seems unwise, to put it mildly.

For now, it appears the Trump administration has adopted the European view—perhaps as a concession for effectively inducing the Europeans to rejoin the American sanctions regime. But instead of cementing this policy, Washington should take the opportunity to impose a more restrictive one. This should include more rigorous oversight and real accountability for countries selling dual-use goods. . . .

To stymie Iran’s continued quest for nuclear weapons, the red lines must be clear, [including with regard to] Iran’s quest for nuclear expertise. Washington should return to its previous policy of preventing civilian advances [in nuclear technology]. This should include preventing universities and research institutions, both in the United States and around the world, from teaching, training, or employing Iranian students and researchers in the fields of nuclear physics or related fields. The United States should further request that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) terminate investments and technical assistance for Iranian nuclear projects and end IAEA-hosted seminars and conferences in Iran as well. Indeed, until Iranian behavior changes, the goal should be to prevent Iran from [cultivating] a new generation of nuclear scientists and missile engineers.

Read more on National Interest: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/no-room-us-concessions-iran%E2%80%99s-civilian-nuclear-aims-35432