Simultaneously dangerous and decrepit By Clifford D. May

Today, the 30-year-old Iranian Revolution appears simultaneously dangerous and decrepit. Iran has made Syria its client, created Hezbollah as its proxy, and adopted Hamas. A new report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies says Iran is likely to produce enough low-enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb before the end of this year. Long-range ballistic missiles are under development as well.

But, at the same time, Iran’s attempt to export its revolution to Iraq has failed for now. When Israel retaliated against Hamas for years of missile attacks, Iran’s support was only rhetorical. Iran’s economy has been crumbling and falling oil prices have hit Iran hard in recent months. Further, while Iran has spent a fortune on its nuclear programs, it has built few oil refineries. So, despite being one of the world’s major oil producers, Iran must import much of its gasoline.

Research by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (the think tank I head), led by FDD senior fellow Orde Kittrie, a former State Department official, reveals that Iran gets most of its imported fuel from just a few companies—Vitol, Trafigura, British Petroleum, and Total—all of which have financial interests in the U.S.

That presents an opportunity: President Obama could pressure these gasoline suppliers to turn off the flow. Indeed, recent Congressional action reportedly persuaded the Indian company, Reliance, to end gasoline sales to Iran.

Obama could make clear to average Iranians that their rulers are to blame—they are the ones isolating and impoverishing them. And for what? So they can wave a big gun on the world stage? So they can attempt genocide and provoke a nuclear exchange with Israel? There is every reason to believe most Iranians don’t want that.

President Obama has said that the world “cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. . . . And I will do everything that’s required to prevent it.” He also has said: “If we can prevent [Iran’s rulers] from importing the gasoline that they need, that starts changing their cost-benefit analysis. That starts putting the squeeze on them.”

Exactly. The Iranian Revolution is 30 years old. The new administration still has time to limit its final death toll. National Review

— Clifford D. May, a former New York Times foreign correspondent, is the president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies , a policy institute focusing on terrorism.