July 14 marks two years since the successful negotiation of the Iran nuclear deal. This is a milestone worth recognizing because the agreement removed an existential threat to the United States and our allies and partners and led to tangible actions by Iran which ensure that its nuclear program is peaceful. The threats we face around the globe mean that we must commit now more than ever to finding diplomatic solutions – like the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – to difficult and complex problems.

The JCPOA is an important example for future nuclear nonproliferation efforts. Critically, it includes the most thorough and invasive monitoring and verification regime in history, which is being carried out by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency. Two years’ worth of these inspections now assure the world that Iran is fulfilling its commitments.

Nevertheless, hardliners in the U.S. Congress and the Trump Administration don’t like the deal and want the U.S. to “tear it up,” risking severe consequences for our security, our troops’ security, and the security of our allies and partners. It’s time to put militaristic rhetoric behind us and focus on what actually delivers results: diplomacy and engagement.