19 Mar 2024


Sputnik- Iran's top nuclear specialist has said that Tehran's options in the event of a US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of action (JCPOA) include restarting its nuclear program. Alexander Azadegan, Iranian-American professor of geopolitics and editor-in-chief of ImperiaNews, spoke to Sputnik about what's driving the US's Iran policy.




Speaking toreporters onSaturday, Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehicautionedthat Iran would "startle" the US withits response should Washington withdraw fromthe JCPOA. Salehi's remarks come amidconcerns byother JCPOA signatories, including Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France, overa possible US exit. The White House has untilMay 12 todecide whether tokeep the nuclear deal inplace, or towithdraw.

Last week, Trump secretary ofstate nominee Mike Pompeo told lawmakers that the US needs to "fix" the Iran deal, and that "if we conclude that this cannot be fixed, that there are serious shortcomings, then I will recommend tothe president that we will work withour allies toachieve a better outcome and a better deal." Pompeo's comments follow months ofrepeated statements bythe president aboutthe nuclear deal being a 'mistake'.

Speaking toSputnik Iran, Alexander Azadegan said that the Trump administration's constant talk aboutthe deal being a mistake was just "empty words," and "an element ofpsychological warfare."
"Trump's negotiating style is such that he will not allow both sides inthe process tobe winners. His method is a 'win-lose' situation," inwhich the US must always come outthe 'winner', and the other side the 'loser', the geopolitical analyst explained.


At the same time, amidthe tensions betweenIran and Israel, whichescalated this weekamidthe two countries' military operations inSyria, Azadegan pointed toan interesting butgenerally forgotten provision inthe JCPOA.
"If Israel wants toattack Iran, the JCPOA has a point which the US could use allowing them tostand upand defend Iran," the analyst recalled. "But these are just idealistic notions which American negotiators set outduring the Obama presidency. In reality, if Israel were toattack someone inthe region, the US definitely wouldn't interfere; infact, they would stand behindIsrael." he added.


According toAzadegan, if Trump does exit fromthe nuclear deal, and thus provides Iran withthe opportunity todo the same, this could actually serve inIran's favor. "Right now, this deal is not bringing Iran any great economic benefit," the analyst said, pointing towhat has happened tothe exchange rate recently, withthe Iranian toman falling considerably againstthe dollar.

At the same time, the professor pointed tothe interests driving the US's Iran policy underTrump. "Everyone is concerned aboutTrump's decision onthe nuclear deal inMay. Given the pressure exerted onhim on [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu and his lobby, the likelihood that the nuclear deal will be broken is very strong," he said.

As forthe prospect ofthe US Congress intervening and stopping Trump frompulling out, Azadegan said that Congress does not have the legislative authority todo so.

"Any interference, even fromthe standpoint ofinternational law, will be considered illegal," the political scientist explained. "Any interference, even fromthe standpoint ofinternational law, will be illegal. This was not a bilateral agreement betweenTrump and Iran. It was an agreement betweenIran and six other powers, and one accounting forthe interests ofeach signatory."

Furthermore, the analyst noted that inany case, Congress is beholden toIsraeli and Saudi interests.
Ultimately, Azadegan stressed that "if one is tobe a realist, it's worth looking athow Trump left the Paris agreement overnight, paying no attention toany laws. Therefore, I can say withconfidence that Trump and his administration are the most [legally] illiterate people inUS history. They have very little support. They've lost inthe Middle East inLibya, inEgypt, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The only thing left forthem is aggression. As the American saying goes, 'the best defense is a good offense'," the analyst concluded.



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