Containing Iran: Why the Taboo Policy of Containment May Be the Right One

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Iran's nuclear program presents the United States with a daunting foreign policy challenge. A number of U.S. policy makers, as well as President Barack Obama, have vocally disavowed a policy of containment to address this challenge. However, despite talk of air strikes and "crippling" economic sanctions, it is unlikely that such short-term fixes can successfully resolve the issue. In fact, they run a substantial risk of making it worse, and potentially leading to the very outcome they seek to prevent: a nuclear-armed and hostile Iran. Similarly, despite talk of a looming "zone of immunity" and rapidly closing windows, there is still time for diplomacy to yield positive results. U.S. strategic goals can best be met through patient and forward-looking policymaking. Specifically, the United States can continue to lay the groundwork for an effective containment policy while using targeted sanctions and diplomacy to discourage Iran from weaponization. A successful containment policy will promote long-term positive political change in Iran while avoiding counterproductive provocation.

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