America and Iran: The Morning After a Nuclear Deal

America and Iran: The Morning After a Nuclear Deal

05/23/14

Navid Hassibi, Janne E. Nolan

Security, Iran

Can Washington and Tehran go from being “enemies” to being “rivals”?

Fast-forward to July 21: The Joint Plan of Action (JPA) between the so-called P5+1 and Iran has been replaced by the recently signed comprehensive agreement, negotiating an end to a dispute that has lasted a dozen years over Iran’s nuclear program. Now that this major international security concern has been resolved, what’s in store for U.S.-Iranian relations? Will the seeming thaw expand into greater strategic cooperation? Will we finally see that highly anticipated meet and greet between Presidents Obama and Rouhani at this year’s UN General Assembly? What has become apparent over the past few months is that there seems to be an appetite in the White House and in Tehran for testing the waters on whether cooperation on issues beyond the nuclear issue is possible. While presuming ongoing negotiations do not unravel, any meaningful relationship between the United States and Iran after a comprehensive agreement will undoubtedly depend on its successful implementation.

Implementing the comprehensive agreement

Successfully implementing the agreement cannot be overstated. If either side of the agreement violates its terms, confidence-building will regress and the prospects of a resurrected political, economic and perhaps even military conflict will increase, much to the contentment of hardliners in Washington and Tehran, but ultimately to the detriment of U.S.-Iran relations and regional stability.

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