President Biden is facing expected backlash over his plan to re-join the US into the nuclear deal with Iran, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The 2015 nuclear deal was created by a number of world powers, including the US and Germany, with the intention of prohibiting Iran from developing nuclear weapons in return for lifting economic sanctions. However, the Iranian regime has violated the terms of the agreement from the start, covertly continuing their nuclear program.
Former President Trump withdrew the US from the nuclear deal in 2018. The decision was praised by American Republicans and anti-Iran allies, such as Israel, as a move towards ending appeasement with Iran.
The other members of the deal, Russia, China, Germany, France, and the UK have all continued to back the JCPOA and have advocated for Biden to re-join. Biden has assured that the deal will be a strong foundation, to restrict Tehran’s nuclear program and restrain their missile research. He has also stated that before such a deal is reached, Iran must first limit their nuclear activity.
This relies on the regime being honest about their nuclear program, which has been exposed over the years by the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran). The regime’s transparency about the motives of their nuclear activity is extremely questionable, especially under the potential new Iranian Law, which would prohibit international inspectors from investigating Iranian nuclear sites.
As Biden pushes to re-join the JCPOA, many US politicians are calling for him to rethink the plan. 120 House Republicans have now signed an open letter expressing their concern over Biden’s intent to negotiate with Iran, as the regime has repeatedly proven to be untrustworthy.
The nuclear deal as it stands has been essentially voided by the regime. Their nuclear program has been greatly expanded, especially in retaliation to the assassination of a nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. The regime claims to want to return to the JCPOA, however, only under the terms that Biden first eases the economic sanctions currently in place.
The Republican lawmakers urged in their open letter, “It is critically important that you do not allow history to repeat itself with a fatally flawed Iran nuclear deal.”
Rejoining “would be a strategic U.S. foreign policy blunder, exponentially more dangerous than the consequences of the original misguided approach,” the letter continued.
Politicians and other critics of the JCPOA have argued that the deal is seriously flawed, containing ‘sunset clauses’. This means that Iran will only face nuclear restrictions until 2025. Further to this, the agreement does not extend to Tehran’s ballistic missile research program or prohibit the use of regional proxy forces in the attack.
The 120 House Republicans have warned that negotiation with the regime is destined to fail.
The letter read, “Use of force and military action should always be the last possible option, but we must keep it on the table, not because we want war, but because we want to prevent it,”
“Our other instruments of national power, such as diplomatic and economic pressure, can become greater tools in this effort when Iran understands that the military option is on the table and real.”
They continued, “Iran does not respect weakness. It only respects strength.”
and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTube
