Containing Iran: Lessons from the Cold War

The Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear program is one of the most pressing issues facing the United States today. All indications suggest that Iran is determined to be the next nuclear power as it continues to defy international will and resists international diplomatic pressure to halt its uranium enrichment program. Once Iran reaches nuclear weapons capability, it will possess the ability to threaten all who oppose its policies with nuclear blackmail. The United States should look towards developing a sound policy aimed at mitigating Iran's power and influence should it become a nuclear power. A reasonable option is to "contain" Iran. Containment, the Cold War principle that is traditionally ascribed to George Kennan, can be updated and applied to Iran. This paper explores the origins of containment, the associated policy of deterrence, and draws comparisons to the current Iranian situation, in the process showing how Cold War containment can be modernized to address the Iranian threat.;When applying containment and deterrence to Iran, the fundamental principles should be adopted from similar principles described in U.S. National Security Council (NSC) document 68: 1) block any expansion of power in the Persian Gulf, the broader Middle East, and Central Asia region; 2) highlight the nature of the Iranian regime, including its strong ties with terrorist organizations and disdain for human rights; 3) undermine its influence across the region and drive wedges in its relationships with Russia and China; 4) foster the seeds of destruction within Iran such as the Iranian society sees the folly of its leadership and removes them from power.