Enough is enough. For decades the world has
been dealing with a hostile Iranian regime committed to radical Islam, waging
war against the West and sowing the seeds of destruction through sponsorship of
terrorism. It is long overdue for that behavior to stop. The unelected mullahs
in Tehran need to understand that Iran cannot continue to do as it pleases
without any consequences. That important message was sent in recent weeks by
the U.S. military, Congress and President Trump.
Iranian aggression in the Persian Gulf came close to sparking
military confrontation that would have pitted the U.S. Navy against the world’s
leading state sponsor of terrorism. An Iranian ship steered menacingly close to
a U.S. vessel, ignoring radio warnings to change course. In the end, the
American ship was forced to fire warning shots, ultimately defusing the
situation.
This was actually the latest in a
In the latest sign that the United States is
taking steps to enforce more accountability on Iran for its nefarious actions,
Congress passed an important piece of legislation that Trump promptly signed
into law. The bill strengthens sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile
program, human rights abuses, and illicit conventional weapons trade. It also
aims to pressure Iran to restrain its nuclear development and to deliver
penalties for disruption.
These were positive steps that demonstrate President Trump and
lawmakers on Capitol Hill understand the threat Iran poses to the United States
and the rest of the world. Sanctioning Iran and putting Tehran on notice helps
avoid an open confrontation. America does presently not seek or need a military
clash with Iran.
In the meantime, Iran has found itself on the front pages of
newspapers across the world for the wrong reasons and we should not let down
our guard. The American public needs to be aware of what has been happening in
the Middle East because of Iran and its bankrolling of terrorism and fomenting
of hostilities. Keeping Iran in the spotlight is ultimately likely to prove
essential for creating and maintaining stability in the Middle East and around
the world.
A lot has happened worldwide since the United States agreed to
the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), the disastrous nuclear deal
that has allowed Iran to keep its illicit atomic infrastructure and continue
developing its nuclear program without adequate supervision by inspectors.
Iran has also continued apace with threatening missile tests,
which are particularly alarming. The development of Iran’s missile program has
produced an arsenal with ever-expanding abilities to strike far beyond the
Middle East alone. Iran already possesses the ability to launch missiles that
can hit anywhere inside Israel. In 2015, Iran unveiled a new long-range missile
that has the capability to detonate across large swaths of Europe.
Given Iran’s history of deception, there is a very real fear
that Iran could violate the JCPOA or ultimately decide to abandon it
altogether, moving full throttle to make the final last leap to nuclear
capability. The bellicose rhetoric that is continuously broadcast by Iran
demonstrates clearly its desire for confrontation with the United States and
its allies.
America in recent days has sent a clear and united message to
Iran, reasserting that its destructive actions will not be tolerated. The new
law targets those people working to advance Iran’s missiles and weapons
program, and it makes it more difficult for the regime to destabilize the
region.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has correctly
and sharply criticized the U.N. Security Council for the disproportionate
amount of negative focus on Israel while ignoring the threat of Iran’s Lebanese
proxy, Hezbollah. Haley recently reminded the U.N. Security Council that
Hezbollah is the real threat to peace and security in the Middle East, not
Israel, which seeks peace with its neighbors.
When it comes to Iran, America must continue to distrust and
verify. The world needs to keep a close eye on Iran’s nuclear plants and also
its hostile actions in the military arena. Congress and President Trump have
shown they understand the very real threat Iran poses and must continue to be
vigilant to protect the American people from enemies in Tehran who wish us
harm.
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