All Policy Analysis by Richard Nephew

A compilation of views on the next round of prospective talks with Iran, sanctions relief options, military and technical considerations, the international role, and more.

Israel and the United States bought themselves time on the nuclear issue, but the decision to take the military path raises a host of other risks and questions.

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The risk of nuclear breakout is probably greater today than before Israel’s military campaign, and simply taking out Fordow would not stop the regime from using suspected secret sites to produce nuclear weapons.

The most important restrictions include measures like permanently dismantling enrichment infrastructure and properly disposing of key materials and equipment, but policymakers need to be clear-eyed about the inherent limitations of even the strictest verification agreement.

A closer look at the technical indicators that experts and officials will be looking for to determine whether Israel’s campaign is setting the program back, and how much.

The United States should recognize consortia concepts for what they are: face-saving steps rather than cure-alls for the nonproliferation problems created by Iran’s nuclear activities.

If carefully negotiated and given enough time to demonstrate results, a new deal could prevent a crisis in the near term and create a foundation for regional stability down the road.

Washington Institute experts discuss what challenges must be addressed in negotiating a new nuclear deal or, failing that, planning a military campaign to degrade or destroy the program.

Far from signaling a strong trilateral alliance, their history of often transactional cooperation reveals strategic gaps that Washington can leverage to help curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The Trump administration should give nuclear diplomacy a final shot—while preparing to use military force.

The administration should first consider how enhanced sanctions would fit into its broader regional policy before talking about how to get them going again.

New strategic realities and the ever-present challenge of enforcement would make it difficult to reinvigorate the heavy international sanctions regimes seen in past years.