Although I am normally a staunch supporter of Israel, its pushback on the Iranian nuclear deal is self-destructive and wrong.

Even though I generally support its hard line, self-defense stance, I strongly disagree with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Iranian nuclear deal is supporting “Iran’s march of conquest, subjugation and terror.” In fact, the deal does the opposite. Negotiating with Iran to limit its nuclear program in exchange for lifting European Union and U.S. sanctions disengages its radical religious tyrants and validates the power of its more rational officials and leadership.

The United States has repeated the tagline, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists,” time and time again. While the individuals in the Iranian government are not terrorists, their support of radical groups has, in the eyes of many Americans, put them into the same category. The problem with applying this logic to an institutionalized government is that it encourages irrationality.

Nations develop nuclear programs for two reasons: to defend themselves and to assert power. Disengaging them from international conversation gives them little security that they will not be attacked and much reason to try and establish power by threat. Engaging Iran in talks, especially when its voice is given legitimate weight, encourages the Iranian government to become a rational actor in global politics.

The deal with Iran has positive impact beyond limiting Iranian nuclear enrichment. Scaling back European Union and U.S. sanctions is also in the interest of the United States, Israel and their allies. Iranian politics and economics are closely intertwined. Central planning is common, with direct state involvement in manufacturing and finance.  If a deal is reached, the sanctions that will be lifted largely target the Iranian Central Bank — one of the most important institutions to the government. When growth comes, which it inevitably will, the government will therefore be directly tied to the influx of Western capital and will be more likely to take action to make sure this capital continues to flow in.

Iran is not the demagogue state that many Americans assume it to be. It has a complex internal political system with the deals, decisions, desires to please and corruption that many of us know all too well. Politicians need to get a taste of what a cooperative Iran looks like. When Western money starts flowing into Iranian businesses and government services, officials will want to make sure the cash doesn’t stop coming, if only to maintain their own wealth and prestige.

Just as Iran has significant stake in its economic future, Israel has a vested interest in its own security.  It is only rational to want to prevent your allies from working with a nation that vows to end your existence.  However, Israel must let negotiations happen if they want a chance at changing the politics of its powerful, contentious arch-enemy in the Middle East.  No one wants an angry Iran, but that is what Israel will create by blocking negotiations with the United States and the EU.

Julia Cohen is a SESP sophomore. She can be reached at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected].