President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the JCPOA/Iran deal was the right decision.

The notion that we were better off staying in the deal is not supported by Iran’s activity since the agreement. Iran was afforded immediate relief from sanctions and provided billions of dollars in frozen assets. The Iran Revolutionary Guard use those funds to increase its military budget and fund terrorism in Yemen, Lebanon and Syria.

In fact, more people have died as a result of Iran’s malign activities since the deal than in the five years of sanctions that preceded it. Moreover, instability in the region and escalated with a Sunni – Shia divide leaving Saudi Arabia to ask, “Why would Iran be permitted to enrich uranium under any circumstances?” embarking on a quest for nuclear capability. When Bahrain sought permission to enrich uranium stores, none of the activity was permitted on Bahrain’s soil. 

The people of Iran received no benefit from the deal. They have struggled with a failed economy and a corrupt government. Most protests taking place in Iran are due to food prices and stagnant wages.

Canceling the deal was appropriate for the reason that Iran was not truthful about its weapons program and the deal did nothing about its ballistic missile program. 

While proponents of the deal state that inspections were robust, the IAEA has never been able to inspect all sites and has only been able to inspect sites that were approved by Iran. Military sites were not permitted, under the accord, for any inspection by any entity.

For all the punditry about turning our back on Europe, Europe and the NATO alliance cannot afford to choose between doing business with Iran versus the United States. Sanctions do work; sanctions have worked; sanctions will work. And the Iranian people may, because of this president, have a real chance of overcoming a murderous, repressive regime.

Nathan S. Cohen, City of St. Louis