Newslooks | Ramesh Sephrrad | 8/12/2023
Biden’s Iran Policy: Appeasement at All Costs \ Newslooks \ Opinion \ The recent U.S.-Iran prisoner swap is a clear sign of a weak Iran policy on the part of the Biden administration. The deal, which centers on the release of five detained Americans in Iran in exchange for an unspecified number of Iranians held in U.S. custody, is contingent upon the transfer of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets from South Korean banks to Qatar.
Critics of the deal argue that it is a major concession to Iran and does little to address the country’s nuclear ambitions or its support for terrorism. They also point out that the deal sets a dangerous precedent, by essentially paying a ransom to Iran for the release of its citizens.
In addition, the deal is inconsistent with the Biden administration’s stated goal of reducing Iran’s influence in the Middle East. By releasing Iranian prisoners and transferring billions of dollars to the country, the administration is effectively giving Iran more resources to continue its destabilizing activities in the region.
The prisoner swap is a clear example of the Biden administration’s failure to develop a coherent Iran policy. The administration has been caught between its desire to secure the release of American hostages and its need to pressure Iran on its nuclear and regional programs. As a result, the administration has made a series of concessions to Iran benefiting the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) and the Supreme Leader.
The Biden administration must now decide whether it is serious about containing Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its support for terrorism. If it is, then it must end the appeasement of the regime and shift to a new Iran policy that is based on strength and resolve.
The current U.S.-Iran policy have:
- Failed to adequately address Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The nuclear deal that the Obama administration negotiated with Iran in 2015 was a major concession to Iran, and the Biden administration has shown no willingness to impose tougher sanctions on Iran.
- Failed to crack down on Iran’s support for terrorism. Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, and the Biden administration has done little to stop Iran from funding and arming terrorist in the region even as they were sitting at the negotiation table.
- Failed to build a strong coalition to counter Iran. The Trump administration was able to build a strong coalition of regional countries to pressure Iran, but the Biden administration has alienated many of these countries with its weak Iran policy.
- Failed to rally European allies to enforce sanctions on the Iranian regime consistently and effectively. Many European companies continue to do business with Iran, knowing that Washington will not take action against them. This has undermined the effectiveness of sanctions and allowed Iran to continue to fund the IRGC’s violent crackdown on the people of Iran and promote terrorism abroad.
It is time for a significant course correction on U.S.-Iran policy. The administration must be willing to use tough diplomacy and sanctions to pressure Iran to change its behavior. The administration must also work to build a strong coalition of countries to counter Iran’s regional ambitions. The administration must heed to the call of the Iranian people and their desire to establish a government that is secular, republic and non-nuclear. The real solution to the Iran problem is in the hand of the Iranian people who are calling to end this regime. The Iranian people have suffered for decades under the repressive rule of the Islamic Republic which is neither Islamic nor republic. They have been denied basic freedoms and human rights. They have been subjected to economic hardship and corruption by the IRGC and the mafia style governance by the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
The Iranian people are calling for a new beginning. They want a government that respects their rights and freedoms. They want a government that is committed to peace and prosperity. The Biden administration should support the Iranian people’s call for change. It should work to isolate the Iranian regime and to support the alternative forces of a democratic Iranian republic. The anniversary of the 2022 nationwide uprising in Iran is upon us. This uprising was a powerful expression of the Iranian people’s desire for freedom and democracy. The administration’s deal with the murderous mullahs in power sends the message that the United States is more interested in appeasing the regime than in supporting the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom hence the persistent policy failure.
https://www.newslooks.com/iran-bidens-iran-policy-appeasement-at-all-costs/