In recent days, there has also been much talk about a potential nuclear deal with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un.
Some believe that North Korea has been keen to negotiate since it saw how Iran’s negotiations with world powers went. That is to say, negotiations for Iran were immensely successful because it was able to dictate many terms. Iran received many concessions throughout negotiations. For example, Iran argued that its ballistic missile program should not be addressed under the scope of the nuclear deal because it is not a nuclear issue. The program was left unchallenged.
Iran’s nuclear deal is also weak and has countless holes in it. Iran was aggressive and still ended up with the right to enrich uranium under the terms of the nuclear deal. This has a very troubling message it appears that North Korea has picked up on it because it is racking up its nuclear capabilities and has had the confidence to be aggressive, like Iran.
Iran came out the winner of the nuclear negotiations. The United States had the perfect opportunity to properly address Iran’s nuclear threat. However, it was a missed opportunity. Some, including Trump, have argued that the deal had the opposite effect than intended because it basically guaranteed that Iran takes the slow path to a nuclear weapon.
Furthermore, the nuclear deal negotiations would have been the perfect time to nail Iran’s other worrying actives down including its meddling in the Middle East and its mistreatment of people at home.
Iran is involved in all of the conflicts in the Middle East and it is responsible for some horrifying crimes against humanity and abuses of human rights. The people of Iran have very little freedom and the people are subjected to horrors that belong in the past.
The European signatories of the deal are taking Trump’s promises to pull out of it seriously and are taking steps to strengthen the agreement.
It is clear that Iran needs to be dealt with firmly. Former President Barack Obama’s policies of appeasement were highly ineffective and did nothing to improve Iran’s behaviour. In fact, Iran’s behaviour got worse.
Since taking office, Trump has put pressure on Iran and it has finally got the message that the so-called “golden days” of Obama are now over. Trump made it very clear that he would not turn a blind eye to Iran’s belligerence and he would not ignore its provocations and threats. The strategy is paying off. For example, since Trump warned that any vessels provoking the US Navy would be “blown” out of the sea, the frequent provocations carried out by Iran ceased.
Firmness is a must.
