The self-styled deal maker is a deal breaker when it comes to the historic agreement limiting Iranian uranium enrichment in return for the lifting of sanctions. Trump refused to certify Iranian compliance and passed the ball to Congress which now must decide. But the UN monitoring agency has determined that Tehran is adhering to the conditions agreed to. Does the U.S. have evidence indicating otherwise? Why is Trump now abrogating the deal and insulting Iran as “a rogue state.” Iran, once in Washington’s hip pocket under the Shah, broke away with its 1979 Islamic Revolution. The U.S. has been hostile ever since. If the deal collapses why would any country, say North Korea, enter into an agreement with Washington? It changes what has been negotiated post-facto. In this case, the old saw applies, If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Trita Parsi is the president of the National Iranian American Council. He is the author of Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Iran, Israel and the United States, A Single Roll of the Dice and Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy.
- KBOO