State Dept.’s Chollet: Iran Deal Is Best Path, ‘Particularly’ with Prospect of WMD Use in Ukraine by Russia

On Thursday’s edition of the “Pod Save America” podcast, State Department Counselor Derek Chollet argued that getting back into the Iran nuclear deal is the best path, “particularly, given the moment we’re in, where we were just talking about the possible use of WMD in Ukraine” by Russia.

Chollet stated, “I think our perspective is, Dan, first, the policy that we inherited, the policy of the last several years now of so-called maximum pressure against Iran has not worked, at all. It’s made Iran’s program more dangerous — nuclear program more dangerous and it’s made Iran a more dangerous actor throughout the Middle East. So, we believe that getting back to the JCPOA, which puts Iran’s nuclear program in a box, is the best way forward, and I think particularly, given the moment we’re in, where we were just talking about the possible use of WMD in Ukraine, the last thing we need is another nuclear crisis in the world happening simultaneously. So, we’re not there yet at a deal. I don’t know whether we will be able to finish the deal with the Iranians. Because we still have some details to figure out, but if we do enter the deal — re-enter the deal, I think it would make us safer.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett