The Death of the Nuclear Deal

One of the best nonproliferation agreements ever negotiated was effectively killed by hardline opponents of all diplomatic engagement.

Six years ago today, the Trump administration pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and resumed economic warfare against Iran. Trump’s decision to abandon a successful nonproliferation agreement was one of his worst decisions, as Tom Collina explains in a new article for Responsible Statecraft. U.S. withdrawal soon led to Iran’s reduction in its compliance with the agreement, and eventually left the nuclear deal was left in tatters. The JCPOA still technically exists, but it is an empty shell that no one is even trying to restore any longer.

One of the best nonproliferation agreements ever negotiated was effectively killed by hardline opponents of all diplomatic engagement, and the U.S. reputation for honoring its agreements suffered a major blow.