COMMENTARY

THE world waits with bated breath for the Trump-Kim summit. Yet although North Korea is hitting headlines, Iran may pose the bigger challenge.

In the two years since the nuclear deal was agreed, Iran has pursued an increasingly expansionist form of politics.

The defeat of ISIS and Assad’s victory in the Syrian civil war, both achieved with Iranian military support, has given Tehran enormous leverage.

Crucially, it has used its improved economic climate to invest in ballistic missiles.

It has provided these advanced weapons to proxies such as Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, jeopardising the delicate balance of power in the region.

It is also experimenting with new platforms and innovations that could one day bring Britain within its missiles’ range.

That is the background to today’s controversy over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the nuclear deal.

The deal gives Iran relief from economic sanctions in exchange for agreeing to limit its level of uranium enrichment for years.

President Trump has long been a critic, saying Iran should not have been permitted to retain any nuclear programme.

Detractors say scrapping the agreement with Tehran will persuade North Korea that the US cannot be relied upon.

But for Trump, it’s all part of a forceful message that all deals require his approval.