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KT Edit: Trump's right on Iran, let's not get distracted by the leaked memos

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The leaked memos have offered a lot of fodder for gossip, but the observations of Kim Darroch do not hold water.

Published: Sun 14 Jul 2019, 9:10 PM

Updated: Sun 14 Jul 2019, 11:12 PM

Much is being talked and written about a leaked memo that states US President Donald Trump abandoned the Iran nuclear deal to spite his predecessor Barack Obama. Kim Darroch, the author of these leaked memos, was Britain's ambassador to the US until recently, and as per his observations, Trump appeared to be abandoning the nuclear deal for "personality reasons" more than anything else. It's true that Trump has attacked and nullified some of the policy decisions of the Obama administration. However, he had been calling for scrapping of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action since he started campaigning for the top job in the US. Trump did not think the deal went far enough in curtailing Iran's nuclear ambitions. And he's right on this front. The Obama administration kicked the can down the road instead of dealing with the issue of nuclear weapons and Iran's hegemonic intentions head-on. Ability to acquire nuclear weapons is at the heart of the problem. The region cannot afford a rogue regime such as Iran to have weapons of mass destruction, which could further stoke instability in the Middle East. Yet, even after arduous negotiation that spanned almost two years, the deal did not enforce an indefinite moratorium on Tehran, rather it just made stopgap arrangements, prohibiting Iran from enriching uranium for 15 years. That is a fundamental flaw and must be addressed.
The last few weeks have exposed Tehran for what it is - a rogue nation. It has sabotaged vessels near the UAE shores, attacked pipelines in Saudi Arabia and just last week its boats tried to block a British oil tanker. Tehran has constantly threatened to obstruct business in the Strait of Hormuz, which is a vital route for a bulk of global trade. The leaked memos have offered a lot of fodder for gossip, but the observations of Kim Darroch do not hold water. Iran has been meddling in the domestic affairs of countries and doesn't believe in regional cooperation. Europe and the UK should side with the Trump administration, instead of debating on the leaked memos. After all, stability in the region will be in the interest of all.



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