Editorial Board
Trump's Chance to Act on Iran
The U.S. can’t ignore Tehran’s latest missile test, even if it has to go it alone on sanctions.
Mullahs with missiles.
Photographer: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty ImagesIran’s recent test of a medium-range ballistic missile is an early indicator that it doesn’t fear the bellicose rhetoric of Donald Trump any more than it did the passive approach of Barack Obama. Unfortunately, the Trump administration’s immediate response -- National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said the U.S. is “officially putting Iran on notice” -- seems straight out of the Obama playbook.
The president needs to get beyond his vague campaign statements about standing up to Iran. When the regime breaches its obligations under the 2015 nuclear pact -- or even tests its boundaries -- the U.S. needs to be ready with specific penalties.