Washington, DC – In response to the announcement of an agreement between the United States and Iran to cease hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami issued the following statement:
“J Street welcomes the announcement of an agreement to end the war with Iran. While the details of the agreement are still unclear, bringing this devastating conflict to a close will save lives, reduce the risk of further regional escalation and ease the severe economic harm this war has inflicted on people across the world.
At the same time, it is important to acknowledge a basic reality: This costly and illegal war achieved none of the sweeping objectives that were repeatedly invoked to justify it. The Iranian regime remains in power. Iran’s nuclear material remains in Iran. Iran retains significant military capabilities. And Tehran now has significantly more leverage in the region and with the international community than it did before President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu chose to launch this conflict.
The lesson is the same one many experts and former security officials have warned about for years: There is no sustainable military solution to the challenge posed by Iran’s nuclear program. Durable constraints on Iran’s nuclear activities can only be achieved through pragmatic and sustained diplomacy.
The tragedy is that diplomacy had already produced a workable framework. The JCPOA was effectively constraining Iran’s nuclear program until President Trump chose to abandon it. We are now emerging weakened from a costly and destructive war, only to return to negotiations that aim to reach the very kind of agreement that was recklessly discarded. Nevertheless, we urge lawmakers to support this agreement to end the fighting and push to ensure future diplomatic efforts address the security threats presented by Iran.
The months ahead must now be focused on serious diplomacy to contain Iran’s nuclear program and broader regional tensions. At the same time, the United States and the international community must work together to tackle the urgent crises that have been overshadowed by this war – including the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and Hezbollah, the displacement and destruction in Lebanon and escalating violence and instability in the West Bank.”