The West rewarded Iranian terrorism by dropping UN sanctions

How are the U.S. and Europe punishing Iran for its advancing nuclear program and its involvement in Hamas’ slaughter of Israeli, European, and American citizens? They aren’t. In fact, on Wednesday, they just allowed the UN embargo on Iran’s purchase and sale of missiles and missile technology to expire.

Rewarding Iran will not curb the regime’s belligerence or promote diplomacy, as Western leaders astonishingly claim. Everyone should realize by now that it will only embolden and legalize an explosion of Iranian arms around the world.

With this embargo behind us, Iran can now transfer its suicide drones to Russia without consequence. It can sell Putin ballistic missiles that it has thus-far hesitated to send. Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist Party can now legally provide Iran with the technology, tools, and equipment to build an ICBM capable of reaching the U.S. Or China could simply sell the Iranian regime an ICBM off-the-shelf in exchange for more illicit oil.

The missile and drone embargo was unanimously imposed by the UN Security Council in 2007 in response to Iran’s nuclear advances. During the 2015 negotiations, Iranian officials managed to extract a concession from former President Barack Obama’s team to downgrade those restrictions from a permanent embargo and instead to let them sunset on Oct. 18, 2023. At the time, even the French negotiators protested this concession.

European leaders’ inaction today is reminiscent of their appeasement of Russia as it laid its NordStream 2 pipeline. Their mistake then helped convince Russia to invade Ukraine.

But Biden is to blame here too: his first act on Iran when he took office was to renege on President Trump’s snapback of sanctions, guaranteeing that the missile and drone ban would once again expire.

Biden’s lack of coherent strategy to pressure Iran exposes not only Ukraine but the entire world to the destabilizing effects of an emboldened Iran. While he asks the American public to support Ukraine and Israel, as he should, he simultaneously emboldens and funds Iran to support their enemies, Russia and Hamas.

In sum, by refusing to acknowledge their failed Iran policy, Biden and his team show they care more about Iran than they do about Ukraine. 

The policy fog does not end here. Biden’s refusal to enforce sanctions against Iran has provided the regime $80 billion in oil exports during his term, allowing Iran to financially support Hamas to the tune of $350 million per year, far more than the $100 million in annual support of prior years.

This incoherent policy is not isolated to Iran.  Following the unfortunate and humiliating fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, global despots and dictators perceive a green light to pursue their agendas unchallenged. Biden’s continued weakness could have catastrophic implications, encouraging adventurism from actors like Xi Jinping to feel the time is right to move on Taiwan.

Biden’s failure to effectively deter Putin from aggression in Ukraine and his failure to deter all manner of Iranian threats is a testament to an administration out of its depth in the complex theater of international relations. The Ukrainian situation has deteriorated, with American policy neither robustly supporting Ukraine nor providing a coherent strategy against Russian advances.

Fortunately, Republicans have been vigilant and proactive behind the scenes, filling the leadership void and pushing the administration to provide Ukraine with necessary weapons and policies to support its sovereignty.  Congress must continue to play its part, ensuring Ukraine receives the support it needs while holding the administration accountable for its inconsistent foreign policy decisions.

With the missile embargo’s expiration, the administration must provide clear and consistent strategies regarding Iran and Ukraine.

From Iran to Russia to Asia, we need a president and national security cabinet who can articulate clear red lines, re-establish deterrence, back rhetoric with decisive action, and stand firm against international bullies. The world needs assurances that the U.S. is willing and able to back its words with force when necessary. If Biden can’t provide them, then he should reconsider running for reelection.

Morgan Ortagus, who served as spokesperson for the U.S. State Department from 2019 to 2022, is the Founder of Polaris National Security. Gabriel Noronha is executive director of Polaris National Security and a fellow at JINSA. He previously served as special advisor for Iran at the Department of State under Secretary Pompeo.