PBS — Joshua Foust: Why the US Should Ignore Iran for Now
In his column this week for PBS Need to Know, ASP Fellow Joshua Foust explores an alternate approach for our Iran policy:
Unlike the U.S., China has far better relations with the regime in Tehran. In addition to selling weapons to Iran, China is also a major oil customer. Plus, Chinese companies have a growing presence in Iran. China, in other words, has the kind of leverage over Iran that the U.S. would need to prevent a closure of the Strait.
Similarly, Japan has an even greater stake in keeping the Strait open. Yet while Japan enjoys much warmer relations with Iran than the U.S., it still relies on the U.S. to take the lead in exerting pressure on Iran.
It’s time to stop letting powerful, wealthy countries free-ride on the U.S. in the Persian Gulf. Closing the Strait of Hormuz is a disaster, not so much for the U.S., but for Asia. Asia should therefore take the lead in addressing Iranian concerns and ratcheting down tension.
Read the whole article here.
