When President Barack Obama struck a deal with the Iranian Regime in 2015, it was always about something more than just the nuclear programme. It was about reshaping US policy in the Middle East.
He wanted to work with the Iranian Regime, even if that meant risking traditional US alliances in the Middle East, which were, if nothing else, maintaining stability in the region.
The nuclear deal, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as it is formally known, was supposed to halt Iran’s nuclear weapons programme in exchange for sanctions relief and- ideally- become a sort of ally for the US.
However, this deal has backfired.
The Iranian Regime has not conditioned its behaviour to that of an ally and is content to sow discord and destruction around the world. It has provided troops to Syrian dictator Bashar Assad for the slaughter of his own people, provided money and weapons to terror cells like Hezbollah and Yemeni militants, and fired off ballistic missiles which Obama’s State Department said violated the spirit of the deal.
The Regime was also found to have lied about the nuclear programme and how long they operated it in secret (until at least 2009, according to The International Atomic Energy Agency).
A serious rift occurred between the US and Saudi Arabia which will be hard to repair. Many experts fear that the Saudi Government may even pursue nuclear weapons based on the now-rising nuclear threat from the Iranian Regime.
Those who opposed the nuclear deal welcomed Donald Trump’s recent moves to decertify Iran’s compliance, noting that the deal is not in the interests of US national security, and to ask Congress to debate whether or not to re-impose sanctions.
Trump also urged Congress to impose so-called trigger points so that certain Iranian actions are carried out, say firing a ballistic missile, set sanctions are automatically introduced.
This has been described as a middle ground between Trump and the Iran hawks in his government and those senior diplomatic, military and national security advisers who prefer amending the deal, if possible, as opposed to leaving it completely.
The Providence Journal wrote: “Unfortunately, the fundamental nature of the Iranian regime, which has regularly called for death to America, makes it difficult to slow or stop its nuclear ambitions. The grand project of realigning ourselves with the mullahs in Tehran requires more than hope.”
Source » ncr-iran