But country’s defence establishment and business community are raising their concerns about the newly negotiated deal with Iran.
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The Obama administration says the deal is the only alternative to Iran moving forward on developing a nuclear weapon.
The Vienna agreement to halt Iran’s nuclear program is a strong and effective pact that limits the country’s capacity for producing nuclear weapons.
Arab world looks to beyond the nuclear deal.
The nuclear agreement, almost 100 pages, is long on technical details that will be parsed by highly experienced non-proliferation experts.
Those commitments include limiting the number of centrifuges for its fissile material. The Arak heavy water reactor will be modified so it can not be used for production of nuclear weapons.
TRANSPARENCY • Iran agreed to implement and then ratify the IAEA’s Additional Protocol to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. This is a formula that gives a clear advantage to the United States. Under the current deal, Israel receives about $3 billion in military aid from the US each year. This is a reasonable quid pro quo. President Hassan Rouhani seeks to spend much of this money and any future oil proceeds on Iran’s ailing economy; he was elected on a platform of improving living standards for the average Iranian. It is in that spirit that as a goodwill gesture, the four Americans held in Iran on charges, that many consider politically motivated and anchored on fictitious and bogus allegations, must be immediately released to be repatriated with their families. Some of Iran’s sanctions relief may also be spent on Iran’s regional activities, although Iran’s domestic needs are likely to outweigh expenditures for foreign adventures. “But the point of the nuclear deal is to get the result of no Iranian nuclear weapon without carrying out a military strike”. Meanwhile, Menendez-a Democrat-claims he does not oppose the agreement outright but rather believes that Congress has the responsibility to stop a bad deal, regardless of party affiliation.
If it were allowed to develop a nuke, Iran would only become a more risky foe. The United States should return to the table and insist that after the expiration of the sunset clause, the P5+1 and Iran should vote on whether to extend the agreement for an additional 10 years.
The deal is not flawless. Iran will be more free to expand its nuclear program after that period, but it will still remain under global inspections.
Recent defence procurements show that India is preparing for a destabilizing Middle East. In the run-up to the Iran deal, India has been ramping up its missile defence capabilities, including building a comprehensive missile defence shield capable of intercepting a ballistic missile fired from a range of 5,000 km – effectively covering the South China Sea and the Persian Gulf region. 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. So slow changes may be the best option for them.
There is also the danger that Iran will fail to comply with parts of the agreement and undertake prohibited work. It will take incremental steps.
The shift began in the lead-up to the nuclear deal, with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman making a high-profile visit to St. Petersburg in June and inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to Riyadh.
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Alireza Nader is a senior worldwide policy analyst at the non-profit, non-partisan RAND Corporation.
