Iran’s Overly Militant Regime Irresponsibly Clings to Nuclear Enrichment at Expense of its Battered Economy

The U.S. and Israel’s dominant war against Iran has left Iran desperate, where its only recourse was to lash out at neighboring Gulf states as well as Israel and to take the Strait of Hormuz hostage.  President Trump, probably determining that U.S. and Israeli bombing has achieved, beyond toppling the regime’s previous leader, its primary objectives of destroying much of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, as well as laying waste to some Iranian industry, decided it was time for a cease-fire. This, despite Iran’s continued overly militant and egregiously irresponsible desire to safeguard its right to nuclear enrichment, as relayed in its 10-point cease-fire proposal.

Iran’s leadership steadfastly denies any pursuit of a nuclear weapon.  But the International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Iran had 440.9 kg of 60% enriched uranium when Israel and the U.S. bombed Iran’s nuclear sites in June.

According to the U.S. Energy Department, most peaceful nuclear reactors used for the purposes of generating energy use low enriched uranium at 3% to 5% enrichment or 5% to 10% enrichment. Any uranium enrichment over 20% only serves the purpose of attempts to create a nuclear bomb or warhead.

Iran’s leadership is likely guilty of boldface lying about its nuclear bomb aspirations – and its continued irrational, irresponsible, and militant desire to continue its uranium enrichment program after being devastated in this most recent war would come at the expense of Iran’s economy, which is already in tatters. Iran faces significant inflation, lost jobs and damaged industry from the war, it has alienated Gulf trade partners by launching missiles at them, and presides over an economy that was already struggling before the war which led to mass protests in the country. Iran has been operating under U.S. Sanctions for many years, which have contributed to the country’s economic challenges. But Iran’s militancy, represented in part by its support of proxies Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, largely anti-Israel support, also comes at the expense of investing in the Iranian people and Iran’s economy. Iran’s irresponsible militancy, and its hatred for Israel, has been causing Iran to shoot itself in the foot.

Since Iran’s leadership is so irresponsible, if self-destructive, clouded in its political and economic judgment by its militant passions, the U.S. and Israel, which already were so bold as to launch this unprovoked war of aggression against Iran, probably should consider efforts to truly topple this Iranian regime and replace it with a new responsible leadership.  Otherwise, Iran’s current leadership seems unchanged politically, and resolutely hard-line, and will presumably invest its precious monies earned largely from oil sales to rebuild its ballistic missile and drone supplies, will continue to support its proxies, and may still be consumed by a desire to attain a nuclear bomb, all at the expense of its faltering economy and the living standards of its citizens.

Indeed, after Iran’s devastation in this war, the country’s leadership may now view it imperative that the country obtain a nuclear weapon, to protect itself from any future attacks.  

We will have to see where the upcoming negotiations between Iran and the U.S. lead, and whether the U.S. and Israel can truly achieve their goal of preventing Iran from attaining a nuclear bomb. But whatever comes of the negotiations, this irresponsible Iranian regime seems prepared to sacrifice its economy on the alter of its militancy and its hatred of Israel.