U.S. policy since the 2009 election-related uprising in Iran has gradually incorporated a variety of human rights related sanctions and designations to name, shame, penalize, and deter Iranian officials and institutions that commit human rights abuses.* Yet U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran has prioritized Tehran’s nuclear program and, to a considerably lesser extent, its ballistic missile program and material support for international terrorism, but not human rights. The ongoing street protests in Iran, as well as the evolving pattern of anti-regime protests in Iran since 2017, illustrate the need for developing — in addition to a “maximum pressure” strategy on the regime that incorporates all tools of American power — a transnational strategy of “maximum support” for the Iranian people. This memorandum provides recommendations for implementing such a strategy, which should be a centerpiece of U.S. policy.
Read Full Article »
