Europe to back Iran nuclear deal in signal to U.S. Congress

Iran has always denied charges that it was seeking to build a nuclear bomb, insisting its nuclear programme was for peaceful purposes only. Moving forward and with the rapidly fading of the failed slogan of the Great Satan into oblivious bin of history, it is also inevitably crucial that the 150 year old yearning of the 80 million Iranians for reforms, transparency, checks and balances, rule of law, civil society, equality, blind justice and peace in a national ambiance of security and sovereignty be prevailed.

“Do we think that with the sanctions coming down, that Iran will have some additional resources for its military and for some of the activities in the region that are a threat to us and a threat to our allies?” At that time, Iran could easily sprint to the bomb without risking timely detection. “To boot, they also get a cash bonanza to fund their terrorists and aggression against us, against the region, against America and the world“. This has taken a toll.

As an Iranian ally, Moscow appears to have been central in securing the deal and experts say it could help burnish Russia’s global image that has taken a beating over the crisis in Ukraine. In fact, it is the cornerstone of Iran’s self-identity. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran must seize the opportunity for the sake of defending Muslims, Islamic world, and Islam from the enemies of Islam.

Even after the arms embargo is lifted, other Security Council resolutions would continue to bar Iran or any other state from sending weapons to Syria, Hezbollah or Yemen. That is the display of generosity and magnanimity on the part of Iran towards fellow Muslim nations in West Asia. And they did so by a substantial margin.

Iran is a rising power with aspirations for hegemony in the Middle East. For a time, it worked.

Israel, too, has been critical of the deal.

“I’m not going to change anybody’s mind in Israel“, Carter said in the interview. True, Iran had been an ally of US until the Iran-Iraq war. Arab outrage over the horrific violence meted out by the Assad regime and the strong support Damascus continued to receive from Iran served as the “final nail in the coffin” of Iran’s reputation.

American officials are also stressing that while diplomacy prevailed this month, they will not rule out potential use of unilateral military action if Iran should violate the terms of the nuclear agreement.

For example, while the Supreme Leader maintained that it was against Islam to seek to possess nuclear weapons, 87 per cent of the Iranian public told us that they wanted their country to have such a weapon, as a matter of national pride and defence. The nuclear deal, while not ideal, is a step in the right direction.

Our polling in both 2013 (shortly after the election of Hassan Rouhani) and 2014 showed that Iranians were deeply divided.

President Barack Obama acceded in May to a review demanded by Congress and has agreed not to waive USA sanctions during that period.

Given that some Iranians may have high expectations that the deal will improve their lives, it will be necessary for the government to deliver the goods quickly.

So while the USA is presenting the deal as a blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Iranians need to maintain that it was their victory, that they did not capitulate. This certainly falls short of the inspection modality pledged by Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, the administration’s chief nuclear physicist, who said in April that “we expect to have anywhere, anytime access”. At the end of such a process, the United States may yet be able to obtain a viable accord that reliably alters Iran’s nuclear trajectory. In retrospect, these were the exact ideals on which the popular dissent in the late 70’s pluralized, and subsequently led to the 1979 revolution. The concern that Iran might develop a weapon has been addressed.