Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass told Morning Joe Tuesday that the belief that engagement will convince Iran to give up terrorism and internal repression is "a wild hope" not supported by Iran's statements or behavior.
Host Joe Scarborough asked Haass to comment on news that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomenei had sent out a video calling for death to Israel just days after his country wrapped up an agreement with P5+1 powers.
"It underscores, Joe, that the hope that somehow this agreement will be, quote, unquote, transformational and lead Iran to be closer to Switzerland, it's just that: a wild hope," Haass said. "It can't be serious thinking or analysis or strategy."
Many observers have speculated that the Obama administration pursued a nuclear deal with Iran so earnestly because they believe that economic and diplomatic ties with the West will lead the regime to give up its nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism.
Haass says this naïve view will be tested when aspects of the deal expire in 10 to 15 years, leaving Iran free to ramp up its nuclear program.
"The real problem with this agreement is not that Iran cheats, but that it complies and after 10 or 15 years it's legally able to amass all the prerequisites of a large-scale nuclear weapons program," Haass said.
Haass determined that the deal’s concessions will likely buy the United States a nuclear-free decade "at a certain price," while exacerbating other problems, such as Iran’s support for Assad and its terrorist activities against Israel. The New York Times reported on the announcement of the deal:
The deal culminates 20 months of negotiations on an agreement thatPresident Obama had long sought as the biggest diplomatic achievement of his presidency. Whether it portends a new relationship between the United States and Iran — after decades of coups, hostage-taking, terrorism and sanctions — remains a bigger question.
Mr. Obama, in an early morning appearance at the White House that was broadcast live in Iran, began what promised to be an arduous effort to sell the deal to Congress and the American public, saying the agreement is "not built on trust — it is built on verification."