Prospects for reviving the Iran nuclear deal are getting murkier by the day.
What seems clear, though, is that the U.S. is unlikely to secure a broader agreement that addresses Iran’s missile arsenal and network of heavily armed proxy forces. Finding other ways of containing and degrading those threats — all the more dangerous in combination — should be a priority.
This won’t be easy. The withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan has called into question the Biden administration’s resolve under pressure. And the White House just announced that by the end of this year its forces will transition to a training and advising mission in Iraq, where Iran-backed militias are vying for influence. To answer Iran’s maneuvers, the administration will need to redouble its other efforts.