Iran's nuclear program: The case for engagement

Abstract

For 10 years the international community has failed to achieve a diplomatic resolution to the crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear program. As Iran's potential to make nuclear weapons matures, some observers may feel that diplomacy has become futile. This chapter argues reviews the history of diplomatic efforts and current national positions and concludes that there is no fundamental reason why a diplomatic solution is impossible. Instead, past attempts have been plagued by poor messaging, bad timing, and organizational problems associated with domestic and international institutions. Instead of leading to despair, this history can inform future diplomatic strategy, and suggests a promising path forward. Nevertheless, given the enormous difficulty of diplomacy, one could reasonably ask if there were better alternatives. This chapter reviews a range of possible paths and concludes that, despite the challenges, diplomacy remains the best way to end the crisis on peaceful terms.