Keep sanctions

Since the overthrow of the Shah more than 40 years ago, Iran’s rulers have placed their own people at the bottom of their list of priorities. Theirs is a brutal, repressive regime that has pursued an aggressive foreign policy and made their country the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.

Today their people suffer from one of the world’s worst outbreaks of the novel coronavirus. While the leaders have begged for financial relief, allegedly to help combat the virus, their actions reveal their true plans. They continue to develop nuclear weapons, transfer massive funding to their terror proxies, and build up their military in nearby states, including Iraq, which they’ve played a pivotal role in destabilizing.

Indeed, the United States has offered assistance to Iran in combating the virus, yet the Iranian government not only spurned that offer but continues to harass American ships in international waters.

Robin Tweedy wrote that America should stop its sanctions on Iran in order to help the Iranian people. She asked readers to tell that to our political leaders. Readers instead should tell our leaders to keep and strengthen our sanctions on Iran’s fanatical, theocratic government. Unfortunately, lifting or even easing sanctions would both prolong the suffering of the Iranian people and result in additional suffering elsewhere, as Iran would simply increase its diversion of funds to its myriad nefarious activities.

Mark I. Fishman President of PRIMER-Connecticut (Promoting Responsibility in Middle East Reporting)

New Haven