Testing the Limits

Since the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2231, approving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA, and the lifting sanctions on Iran, one thing has been abundantly clear: The notion that Iran would now modify its behavior and become a responsible member of the international community has proven to be false. Since the JCPOA was signed, Iran has taken U.S. citizens hostages and demanded, and received ransom for their return. As a result, Iran has since held additional U.S. citizens and permanent U.S. residents with the expectation of receiving more ransom payments. The regime continues to support the Assad regime with money, supplies, weapons, fighters, and is doing the same in Yemen with the Houthis. Iran's ships have made dozens of provocative actions toward U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. Iran continues to support terror around the world, most notably through its support of the terror group Hezbollah. This has allowed Hezbollah to increase its stockpiled rockets and missiles. Iran also continues to conduct ballistic missile tests for the purprose of developing a viable ballistic missile program; the regime wants to be ready to be able to deliver a nuclear payload when the terms of the JCPOA expire. Over time, the correlation between a country's nuclear program and a corresponding ballistic missile program has proved to be absolute. Countries that sustain indigenous medium and longrange ballistic missiles always aspire to possess nuclear weapons.