Trump is right to dump Iran deal

The treaty was deeply flawed and did nothing to rein in the dangers posed to the region by Tehran

After months of pondering his decision, President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States would be exiting the international deal brokered with Iran three years ago to rein in Tehran’s nuclear programme in return for an end to international sanctions on the regime. In strong language that defied the pressure placed on him by the United Kingdom, France and Germany — all signatories to the deal along with the European Union, Russia and China — Trump declared the Iran pact to be a “horrible one-sided deal that should never, ever have been made”, adding: “It didn’t bring calm, it didn’t bring peace, and it never will.” The US president also said that he would impose the highest levels of sanction on the regime, and impose sanctions an any state that would choose to do business with Iran over the US.

Let’s make this very clear: This Iran deal is indeed deeply flawed, and has done nothing to curb the hegemonic intentions of the regime across the Arabian Gulf. And Trump is right when he says that it has not brought peace.

For those who doubt his veracity, look no further than Yemen, where our Arab brothers suffer as a direct result of the actions of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in aiding, abetting and training Al Houthi rebels, and supplying them with sophisticated weapons. On Wednesday too, Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles fired by the Al Houthis towards Riyadh. The mining of the Bab Al Mandab strait and the launching of ballistic missiles by Al Houthi militia in Yemen are only possible with logistical support from Tehran.

Make no mistake either, the western media is having a field day in criticising the actions of the US, but the western media is mistaken.

At the same time, as Iran was duping the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (US, UK, France, Russia and China), along with the EU and Germany, it was arming its militias across this region to the teeth. Syrian President Bashar Al Assad only remains in power — thanks to the support of Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy. The government of Iraq is now compromised by the intervention of Iran’s sectarian militias there, while the recent election in Lebanon shows the undue influence now wielded by Iran’s proxies in that country.

What’s needed now is stern action against a regime that is following a path of violence and vexation, one that is unsettling this region and one that is malicious in its intent and seditious in its actions.