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Trump and China both taking actions that risk sparking dangerous Middle East arms race
Global Village Space
James M. Dorsey |
Forced to acknowledge that Iran is complying with the nuclear agreement it concluded two years ago with the world’s major powers, US President Donald J. Trump appears to be groping for ways to provoke Iran to back out of the deal. If successful, Mr Trump could spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East at a time that a Chinese agreement to build a drone manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia could initiate a similar drone race that threatens to take hostilities in the region to a whole new, more dangerous level.
Trump’s strategy to terminate Iran nuclear deal
The outcome of May 12 elections in Iran could play into Mr Trump’s hands if a hardliner rather than incumbent President Hassan Rouhani were to emerge victoriously.
Mr Trump’s strategy stems from the realisation that the United States would render itself impotent if he were to unilaterally terminate the agreement with Iran. America’s European allies, as well as Russia and China, would condemn termination, uphold their end of the agreement, and refuse to adhere to punitive measures the United States might adopt. With other words, termination would significantly reduce the United States’ ability to influence Iran.
As a result, Mr Trump, who has described the nuclear agreement as “one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen” and vowed to “dismantle” it, has since come to office has taken steps to lower incentives for Iran to continue to adhere to the accord. The outcome of May 12 elections in Iran could play into Mr Trump’s hands if a hardliner rather than incumbent President Hassan Rouhani were to emerge victoriously.
Read more: By targeting Iran Trump stokes sectarian fires across the Middle East
At the same time, sticking to his desire to remain unpredictable, Mr Trump has not ruled out terminating the agreement. Asked point blank by the Associated Press whether he would stick to the deal, Mr Trump replied: “It’s possible that we won’t.”
Re-imposing US sanctions against Iran that were lifted alongside punitive United Nations measures would stop short of a unilateral termination of the agreement, but leave Iran no choice but to respond
The president, besides charging that Iran has violated the spirit rather than the letter of the agreement and ordering a 90 day review that in the words of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will “evaluate whether suspension of sanctions related to Iran pursuant to the JCPOA is vital to the national security interests of the United States,” has also aligned the United States squarely alongside Saudi Arabia, which charges that the Islamic republic is the world’s foremost source of political violence. JCPOA is the acronym for the nuclear agreement or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Read full story: Trump and China both taking actions that risk sparking dangerous Middle East arms race
Global Village Space
James M. Dorsey |
Forced to acknowledge that Iran is complying with the nuclear agreement it concluded two years ago with the world’s major powers, US President Donald J. Trump appears to be groping for ways to provoke Iran to back out of the deal. If successful, Mr Trump could spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East at a time that a Chinese agreement to build a drone manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia could initiate a similar drone race that threatens to take hostilities in the region to a whole new, more dangerous level.
Trump’s strategy to terminate Iran nuclear deal
The outcome of May 12 elections in Iran could play into Mr Trump’s hands if a hardliner rather than incumbent President Hassan Rouhani were to emerge victoriously.
Mr Trump’s strategy stems from the realisation that the United States would render itself impotent if he were to unilaterally terminate the agreement with Iran. America’s European allies, as well as Russia and China, would condemn termination, uphold their end of the agreement, and refuse to adhere to punitive measures the United States might adopt. With other words, termination would significantly reduce the United States’ ability to influence Iran.
As a result, Mr Trump, who has described the nuclear agreement as “one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen” and vowed to “dismantle” it, has since come to office has taken steps to lower incentives for Iran to continue to adhere to the accord. The outcome of May 12 elections in Iran could play into Mr Trump’s hands if a hardliner rather than incumbent President Hassan Rouhani were to emerge victoriously.
Read more: By targeting Iran Trump stokes sectarian fires across the Middle East
At the same time, sticking to his desire to remain unpredictable, Mr Trump has not ruled out terminating the agreement. Asked point blank by the Associated Press whether he would stick to the deal, Mr Trump replied: “It’s possible that we won’t.”
Re-imposing US sanctions against Iran that were lifted alongside punitive United Nations measures would stop short of a unilateral termination of the agreement, but leave Iran no choice but to respond
The president, besides charging that Iran has violated the spirit rather than the letter of the agreement and ordering a 90 day review that in the words of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will “evaluate whether suspension of sanctions related to Iran pursuant to the JCPOA is vital to the national security interests of the United States,” has also aligned the United States squarely alongside Saudi Arabia, which charges that the Islamic republic is the world’s foremost source of political violence. JCPOA is the acronym for the nuclear agreement or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Read full story: Trump and China both taking actions that risk sparking dangerous Middle East arms race
