Time to rebuild missile stockpiles. Time to move nuclear equipment underground. Time to strengthen terrorist proxies. Time to prepare the next attack while Western diplomats congratulate themselves on achieving “de-escalation.”

Washington is now learning this lesson the hard way.

The United States entered negotiations believing that pressure, incentives and carefully drafted understandings could restrain Tehran. But Iran does not view diplomacy as the end of a conflict. It views diplomacy as another battlefield.