Ohen I recently learned that Iran had sanctioned me, I took it as a badge of honor. But it should remind us all of President Joe Biden’s dealings with Iran.

Even as Iran targets Americans like me, Biden is letting the #1 state sponsor of terrorism off the hook for its support of terrorism and threats against the United States. Forget Iran’s attack on me – Biden should hold Iran accountable for so much more.

Biden has spent the last year falling over himself to return to a nuclear deal with the ayatollahs. Yet it is only now that it becomes clear how much he is willing to give. For years, the United States has applied unprecedented sanctions on Iranian oil shipments, which fund terrorists across the Middle East and military assaults on American troops. Yet last year Iran still shipped 40% more oil than the year before. This is only possible because Biden refused to implement the sanctions.

The way the Biden administration talks is only
thinking
on the easing of sanctions against Iran. It’s wrong. Biden has already relieved Iran. Iran has won at least $15 billion that should have been discarded. And based on history, we know exactly where this is heading: more money for terrorists and millions threatening America and our allies.

Congress recently called on Biden to account for sanction relief that would go to terrorists, but Biden just announced he would ignore that law.

So where is Iranian oil going? To a who’s who of America’s adversaries – China, Russia, Venezuela, Syria. It’s a big problem. By refusing to apply sanctions to Iran, the Biden administration is directly helping countries that want to undermine the United States

China is a good example. Rather than block Iran from shipping oil to China, the Biden administration decided to have a dialogue about it instead. It’s weakness, plain and simple, and it’s dangerous. Obviously, talking about it did nothing. United Against Nuclear Iran, which tracks Iran’s oil exports, shows Iranian oil trade to China increased 62% in November. Without consequences for its actions, Communist China is sure to import even more Iranian oil this year.

Holding Iran accountable has never been more important. Even before Biden foolishly and underhandedly withdrew pressure on Iran, the ayatollahs continued their march toward nuclear weapons. They have also strengthened their support for terrorists while building advanced drones and a cyber warfare operation.

Tehran has been more aggressive over the past year than at any time in recent memory. The regime has virtually ceased to cooperate with nuclear weapons inspectors. It now refuses to rule out the enrichment of uranium to weapons-grade levels. Its scientists have carried out nuclear work that has no civilian use, only military purposes. And all the while, Iran has been arming terrorists across the Middle East with powerful drones while holding Americans hostage and even plotting the kidnappings of American citizens on American soil.

The correct response to Iran’s aggression is force and determination – the exact opposite of what Biden is doing. Instead of relieving Iran, he should take stronger action, issue tougher sanctions while enforcing existing ones, and make it clear that the pressure will only intensify until Iran changes its behavior. .

It says a lot that Iran thinks it can get away with so much, including sanctioning me. It’s time for the Biden administration to show Iran it can’t, starting with law enforcement and stopping Iran’s oil shipments. Anything less is an insult to the public and a gift to an enemy who wants to destroy us.

Nikki Haley, a two-term former governor of South Carolina who served as US ambassador to the United Nations, is senior adviser to United Against Nuclear Iran.