China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Trump’s ultimatum on Iran deal out of touch with reality
Although Donald Trump did heed appeals from advisers and allies and waive sanctions against Iran, he simultaneously planted a time bomb for the Iran nuclear deal, the United States’ relations with its allies, as well as peace and stability in the Middle East. Warning that the waiver was “the last chance” to “fix the terrible flaws” in the agreement, he threatened to withdraw the US “immediately” otherwise.
Such a blunt ultimatum, as has been typical of his unilateralist approach to significant international affairs, is both irresponsible and potentially dangerous.
As is obvious in its name — Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — the Iran nuclear agreement was in the first place a multilateral arrangement. The nature of such an international accord calls for a consensus among all stakeholders for any changes to be made. Not only are all the other parties to the deal content with it, the rest of the international community thinks highly of it, too.
And despite Trump’s allegation of “multiple violations”, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the US’ European allies, and even his own government find Teheran is generally complying with the deal.
Beijing cherishes the agreement as a “paragon” for resolving international hot-spot issues through diplomacy. So do the US’ European allies.
President Trump’s request for a side accord, to make the current constraints on Iran’s nuclear pursuit permanent, add “triggers” for re-imposing sanctions, or to tie sanctions to other concerns, is anything but constructive since Iran would not participate in the process. Teheran has explicitly refused any such attempt.
Trump’s “holistic” approach is unrealistic, because it aspires for too much in a single deal that was meant specifically to address nuclear concerns.
The Trump White House has been vocal about various other topics regarding Iran, from alleged threats from its long-range missile programs to Hezbollah. More recently, it has berated Teheran for human rights violations amid the latest protests in Iran. But tying those to the nuclear deal will go nowhere in the real world and only destroy what has already been attained.
The existing agreement would not have been possible had the Obama administration not been pragmatic enough to focus on the nuclear issue.
What the Trump administration lacks is precisely the diplomatic realism his immediate predecessor demonstrated in cutting the deal. Published by: Tel: Fax: Subscription: Advertising: Printed by: