28 Mar 2024
Wednesday 15 February 2017 - 11:21
Story Code : 251228

Trump risks 'provoking dangerous reaction from Tehran' with Anti-Iran rhetoric

Sputnik- The Trump administration is unlikely to pull out of the nuclear deal with Iran, but goading Tehran threatens to endanger security in the Middle East, expert in Middle Eastern affairs Vladimir Sazhin told Sputnik Persian.


The US and the Islamic Republic ofIran have never been ongood terms, buttheir relationship has taken a turn forthe worst undernew US President Donald Trump, expert inMiddle Eastern affairs Vladimir Sazhin told Sputnik Persian.


"Indeed, there has never been friendship betweenIran and the United States. However, there have been noticeable periods ofa softening ofIranian-American relations duringthe presidencies ofMohammad Khatami, and current President Hassan Rouhani," Sazhin said.


"The pragmatic policy ofPresident Rouhani and US President Barack Obama, withstrong support fromRussia and other UN Security Council permanent members and Germany led tothe signing ofa very important document onJuly 14, 2015 the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA), which marked the beginning ofa fundamental solution tothe Iranian nuclear issue."

Sazhin remarked that Donald Trump has targeted the Iran nuclear deal because ofits association withthe Obama administration.
"New President Donald Trump is very hostile toBarack Obama, and can't recognize any achievements ofhis predecessor, including those withregard toIran," Sazhin said.


Trump has called the JCPOA"the worst deal ever negotiated," and earlier this month his administration imposed new sanctions againstTehran forconducting a medium-range ballistic missile test onJanuary 29.

On February 3, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on12 entities, aswell as13 individuals based inIran, China, Lebanon and UAE which it deemed tobe "supporters ofIran's Ballistic Missile Program and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps."

Last week, Iran announced it is putting inplace its owncounter-sanctionsagainst the US.Iran's sanctions list is almost complete and "includes the names ofAmerican entities and individuals involved inbacking Daesh, al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups aswell asbacking the Zionist regime insuppressing the Palestinian people," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi was quoted assaying bythe Mehr news agency.

Iran maintains that the missile test, which occurred onJanuary 29, did not violate the nuclear agreement or UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which affirmed the implementation ofthe nuclear deal.

"The missile issue is not part ofthe nuclear deal," Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said.

According toResolution 2231, "Iran is called uponnot toundertake any activity related toballistic missiles designed tobe capable ofdelivering nuclear weapons."

Trump intensified his rhetoric inan interview withFox News earlier this month. He said that Iran has "total disregard" forthe US, and is the "number one terrorist state."
US Defense Secretary James Mattis also called Iran the world's "biggest state sponsor ofterrorism."


Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded bysaying that Iran has never been involved withterror groups, and makes a valuable contribution tothe fight againstDaesh.

Sazhin told Sputnik that despitethe escalation, it remains unlikely that Trump will tear upthe nuclear deal, sincethe US is just one ofseveral signatories tothe agreement.
"Trump is not ina position torip upthe deal because it's an international agreement. A unilateral pull-out would be too adventurous even fora President such asTrump, because the image and authority ofthe US would fall sharply acrossthe world, including inEurope. All those who took part inthe negotiations (the UK, France and Germany) continue tosupport the JCPOA. Furthermore, almost all members ofthe EU have an interest inthis international deal," Sazhin said.


"That's why Trump is unlikely totake the US outof the JCPOA. However, it's likely that the Trump administration will slow downthe process ofimplementation."


Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is facing elections inMay, also has todeal with hardline opponents tothe deal withinIran. Trump's comments give ammunition tothose critics who want torip upthe deal, Sazhin said.
"It is possible that [following the election] it will be much more difficult tofollow a 'liberal' policy both domestically and abroad, undermassive pressure fromthe opposition, inspired byPresident Trump's anti-Iranian position. Therefore, great difficulties also await the Rouhani administration, both indomestic and inforeign policy, where Washington may well play a major destabilizing role."


"In this way, the Trump administration's anti-Iranian policies, which are predicted tocontinue untilthe end ofTrump's political life, may well provoke a reaction fromTehran that will be dangerous both forIran, and security inthe surrounding region and entire Middle East," Sazhin warned.
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