AGREEMENT between the US and Iran has quickly become one of the most consequential diplomatic developments in the ME in recent years. It seems a pragmatic step toward regional stability. At the same time it is a strategic development that grants Tehran significant concessions without securing corresponding guarantees. The situation is intense in Israel, where many political leaders fear that the deal undermines years of efforts to contain Iranian influence across the region. The agreement appears to be a classic case of diplomatic compromise. US gains a reduction in tensions with Iran, decreases risk of a costly military confrontation, and creates space for broader regional stability. After decades of military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan, successive US administrations have increasingly favored diplomacy over direct confrontation. If the agreement prevents escalation and secures a degree of predictability in the Gulf, it serves an important US interest.

Iran has secured tangible benefits. Access to frozen assets and the possibility of increased trade and investment could provide much-needed support to an economy burdened by years of sanctions. Tehran has negotiated from a position of resilience rather than weakness. The agreement contains no major restrictions on Iran’s missile capabilities or its network of regional allies will be interpreted by many in Tehran as evidence that Iran successfully resisted maximum........

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