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nuclear deal

The threat of terrorism and nuclear attacks are a concern for most of us. If you did a survey now, most people would probably rate terrorism as one of their biggest fears. None of us want to live in a world where we feel unsafe. But if you watch the news on a daily basis, you’ll find that it offers little reassurance. In 2015, a deal was reached with Iran, but what does it really mean and are we safe?

President Barack Obama delivering an address : Free Stock Photo

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About the nuclear program deal

In 2015, a deal to shut down Iran’s nuclear program for the next decade was hailed as one of the most important political feats of recent times. But what does it mean, and what are the politicians hiding?

The US could have pushed for more

This is an opinion held widely by people in the know. Among them is Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. The fact that both President Obama and Javad Zarif, the foreign minister in Iran, celebrated the deal supports this notion. To reach a satisfactory deal, one party would have to leave the table feeling a little disappointed. As a dominant world force, the US could have gone further and pinned more stringent restrictions on Iran. It may have taken a little more negotiation, but the thought is that more could have been achieved.

Was the time frame right?

When world leaders emerged from prolonged, intensive negotiations, a 5-15 year time frame seemed reasonable. But there is concern about the long-term intentions of the Iranian nuclear program. For now, production may be limited, but what happens when this agreed monitoring period elapses? Is there a possibility that Iran could already be plotting years ahead?

How watertight is the deal?

If you delve deeper into the small print of the nuclear deal, you may stumble across some alarming sentences. There is an agreement that sanctions can be reimposed in the event of Iran violating the terms. However, if you read on, you’ll discover that Iran can walk away from the deal if sanctions are reimposed. A written statement also suggests that EU countries and the US are not permitted to disturb economic agreements with Iran.

US-European relations

There’s a worry that the nuclear deal could cause ructions between the USA and European nations. There may be disagreements about the terms of the deal and wider implications for concerns such as terrorism. Disagreements are likely to weaken the allied group and strengthen Iran’s position.

Iran Talks Vienna 14 July 2015 (19067069963).jpg

Image credit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Comprehensive_Plan_of_Action

When you read news reports, it’s easy to glance at the main points and think no more about it. There’s also the issue of rhetoric. Even if you only read a couple of newspapers, you’re likely to get a different version of events. Often, you read what you want to read and ignore everything else. On the surface, a deal may appear to be a fantastic step forward. But it’s always important to read the small print. Often, it’s impossible to get the full story from a short report about such a complex and convoluted deal.

Iran, Flag, National Flag, Nation, Country, Ensign

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has told visiting EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton that a nuclear deal could come in the next four months.

Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks lasting more than an hour with Baroness Catherine Ashton, who is making her first visit to Tehran amid a thaw in relations.

“We can do it in four or five months and even shorter,” Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

Catherine Ashton cautioned there was “no guarantee” her talks would lead to a comprehensive agreement.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif  and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton

World powers want Iran to scale back its nuclear work to ensure it cannot assemble a nuclear weapon.

The election of Iranian moderate Hassan Rouhani as president last year led to an improvement in ties between the Islamic Republic and the EU.

In November, Baroness Catherine Ashton helped broker a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear programme in return for limited sanctions relief.

Analysts say the war in Syria is also expected to be discussed, as Iran is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad.

It is the first visit to Iran by an EU policy chief since 2008.

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