While President Donald Trump's intention to not certify the Iran nuclear agreement is on the minds of many Iranians, it's not their only worry.
Countless Iranians, especially religious and ethnic minorities, wonder when they will see their imprisoned relatives, when they will get some form of justice for the cousin who was hanged, or the uncle whose limbs were cut off as punishment. They wonder when they will be able not just to live without fear of nuclear war, but also without fear of being lashed by the vice police.
For the vast majority of Iranians, the nuclear deal has underscored a more basic question: when will the U.S. stand up for those values for which it is admired, including in Iran?
Each publicly televised launch of a ballistic missile violates the spirit of the deal and moves Iran closer to the ability to launch an intercontinental nuclear strike. Each military site that remains uninspected, aggressive interference abroad overlooked, or political killing ignored, further convinces the repressive rulers of Iran that they can continue their rule with impunity.
There must be a price to pay if the Iranian regime launches ballistic missiles or continues its egregious and destabilizing activities in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and elsewhere. Reinstating sanctions instead of rewarding the regime with business deals makes adherence more likely.
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