Your editorial, “Deal provides best chance to avoid a nuclear Iran,” (April 4), misapprehends the Iran situation. 

As you note, President Obama’s deal with Iran is a high-risk gamble. The stakes are too high. We cannot afford that risk. Iran is developing ICBM’s to attack us, threatens to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth, and recently staged an attack on a mock American vessel. 

Not only will Iran retain its nuclear infrastructure and receive economic relief, but we have no effective remedies if Iran violates the agreement. You quote Obama as saying, “If Iran cheats, the world will know it.” Maybe we will, but more likely we won’t. If we catch Iran, we then must navigate a cumbersome resolution process, proceed through the Security Council and face a Russian veto of further sanctions. Realistically, once the sanctions are lifted, they are gone. 

Finally, you adopted the administration’s misstatement that it’s either this deal or military action. That is false. If enough pressure is applied, a better deal is attainable. Congress must make an independent, objective determination. If the deal can’t stop Iran, then we must return to the table and negotiate a better, more realistic deal. 

Mark I. Fishman

New Haven