Steve Whinfield (Letters: “Say ‘Yes’ to Diplomacy with Iran,” Dec. 5, 2014) writes in favor of diplomacy with Iran. He needn’t write to support diplomacy. All reasonable people want diplomacy.

However, we must be realistic. Iran has already had a year to agree to dismantle its uranium enrichment capability and its plutonium reactor. It’s not that complicated, but Iran has no reason to agree, as the economic sanctions have already been loosened.

We need effective diplomacy that will lead to the desired result – that Iran not be capable of producing or delivering nuclear weapons. To negotiate effectively, Iran must be incentivized to abandon its nuclear weapon program. Pleasant talk and belief in Iran’s good faith will not disarm the fanatical Iranian regime. Only pressure can lead to the desired result.

What brought Iran to the negotiating table was the sanctions regimen then in place. Only sanctions will now bring Iran to a verifiable agreement to disarm. Senator Blumenthal, as an original co-sponsor of the Menendez-Kirk bill last year, knows this. The five co-sponsors among the six tri-state Senators know this. Mr. Whinfield and his “Friends” colleagues, however, appear not to.

It is time to wake up to reality. The only way to avert nuclear war with Iran is to increase the pressure now in order to reach a satisfactory negotiated resolution.

Mark I. Fishman, Esq.
Fairfield