YOU DON’T SAY: When It Comes to Iran, Threats and Pressure Get Results.

Obama gave them billions and didn’t even get a lousy t-shirt:

This principle was best illustrated in a particularly testy moment during the final days of the 2015 nuclear negotiations. Western foreign ministers were trying to keep in place a U.N. conventional arms embargo on Iran, and they brought up the regime’s support for terrorism throughout the Middle East. Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, responded that he could bring American and European governments before The Hague for their support of Saddam Hussein in the 1980s. “Never threaten an Iranian,” he said, according to multiple reports at the time.

With apologies to Zarif, threatening Iran’s regime has worked in the past and may be working again now. Just look at the reaction Tuesday evening from Iran’s largely powerless president, Hassan Rouhani, to President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal. Rouhani did not begin uranium enrichment or kick out inspectors. Instead he announced that Iran would remain a party to the agreement with Europe, and would begin negotiations on changes.

Rouhani, who lacks real political power, of course could be overruled. Other Iranian leaders have threatened to restart the nuclear program. What’s more, the Iranians will no doubt try to press America’s European allies for more concessions to an already weak nuclear bargain.

But if history is any guide, the Iranian regime won’t push too far if its leaders believe Trump’s threats are credible.

As we learned yesterday, it’s the Israelis they really have to worry about — and by backing out of the nuclear deal, Trump has let the Israelis off the leash.