An Iranian nuclear weapon would be a game-changer in the Middle East. Should the Islamic Republic of Iran acquire nuclear weapons, at a minimum, Iranian leaders would feel so secure behind their own nuclear deterrent that they could export terrorism without fear of retaliation. Iranian assassins could murder Americans worldwide, and even the most hawkish administration in Washington would hesitate to respond militarily for fear of escalation.

Many realists argue that the world, even Israel, could live with a nuclear Iran because the Islamic Republic is not suicidal. That is a strawman argument, however. The problem has never been whether the regime is suicidal but rather if it is terminally ill. The custodianship of any Iranian bump would be with the most radical and ideologically pure unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Both the growing frequency of nationwide protests and looming succession raise questions about........

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