Trump may have a point on Iran and North Korea

US President Donald Trump deserves credit for talking tough and reprimanding rogue nations for holding the world to ransom. It was indeed a war-like speech that eschewed political correctness and diplomatic tact. When Trump took centrestage at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, he did not mince words and referred to the regimes of Iran and North Korea (among others) for what they truly are — a corrupt dictatorship and reckless regime respectively. The Middle East got a bad deal under the previous US administration, as former president Obama failed to consider the larger security implications and allowed Iran to get away with a nuclear deal with the West, Russia and China. Tehran managed to come back from sanctions and has gone conventionally rogue. It has taken complete advantage and continues to export terrorism in the Middle East. People in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and most recently Yemen are all suffering because of the sectarian violence that has been stoked and funded by authorities in Tehran.

President Trump deserves credit for unmasking the truth about Iran on an international platform and talking tough. Perhaps, it’s time to rethink the nuclear deal with Iran, or put a system in place to check its hegemonic ambitions. We cannot let Tehran secure weapons of mass destruction like North Korea did. By calling a spade a spade, Trump has shown the willingness for uncompromising action, if required. “Iran’s government must stop supporting terrorists...and respect the sovereign rights of its neighbours.” The US president’s tough talk on denuclearisation as the only way forward should be backed by all, as rogue regimes cannot continue to fuel instability and make others nations vulnerable to their machinations. The successful hydrogen bomb test by the Kim Jong-un regime exposes the faultlines in alliances that fail to take the right decisions and prevent such advances. Tough talk and strict action for the collective good is the best way forward when other options fail, and Trump could be right for once.