The Iranian Nuclear Deal, which international leaders reached an initial agreement on April 2, continues to be one of the world’s most contentious arrangements. International leaders are currently deliberating the intricacies of a deal that would disallow a militant Iranian nuclear program and an agreement must occur by June 30. Thus, comprehending the intricacies of the deal is imperative to understanding why a deal is necessary.
Iran is the only country in the world operating a nuclear reactor without belonging to the the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Convention on Nuclear Safety, a committee designed to encourage international regulation of nuclear programs. Furthermore, Iran has refused safety inspections by the IAEA, violating international nuclear safety protocol. A nuclear deal aims to prohibit development of an Iranian militant nuclear program and increase international regulation on the number of centrifuges for uranium enrichment in Iran. Peaceful nuclear programs for energy can operate without enriched uranium, while nuclear bombs require enriched uranium. Therefore, by limiting the centrifuges that enrich the uranium, the West hopes to prevent Iran from procuring a nuclear bomb.
In 1984, the United States designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism and in 1996, President Bill Clinton referred to Iran as “one of the most dangerous supporters of terrorism in the world.” Iran continues this unsafe and immoral activity in the present day. According to a 2013 report on terrorism published by the U.S. Department of State, Iran continues to support some of the most threatening international terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah and al-Qaeda in the Middle East. Western countries are worried that if Iran is allowed to nuclear capability, the government will give nuclear weapons to terrorist groups hostile to the West, despite Iran’s claims that its nuclear program would be used in only peaceful ways. In addition, America’s allies in the Middle East, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, do not have good relations with Iran and fear that Iran will use nuclear weapons against them. Furthermore, if Iran develops a nuclear weapon, this may lead to a dangerous arms race in an already unstable region. It is very likely that the Iranian leadership, if given the opportunity to develop nuclear weapons, will use such weaponry to against its enemies, which include the United States.
American politicians have disagreed on the intricacies of a potential deal due to partisanship and discord over minute details — not whether or not an arrangement should be reached. Most Democrats and Republicans support a deal that would curb the Iranian nuclear program. Additionally, there has been political disagreement on whether or not Congress should have oversight over the deal, showing how important the American government values this arrangement. Hillary Clinton, who has been a key contributor in past negotiations, stated in a previous interview with the The New York Times that she hopes for “a comprehensive agreement that would prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon,” thereby strengthening the security of the United States and the Middle East.
This deal is clearly important to America and its allies. Prince Saud, a Saudi Foreign Minister says, it is important to “stress the danger of the Iranian nuclear program to the security of the whole region.” In fact, if precautions are not taken, Iran can pose a multitude of threats. The Council on Foreign Relations believes that “Iran would become increasingly aggressive once it acquired a nuclear capability” raising the possibility of a highly unstable regional nuclear arms race.” Furthermore, the head of the Basij Iranian militia, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, has stated that Iran “must raise public hate against the despotic powers and create the environment for the destruction of America.” To prove its hatred of America, the Ayatollah, Iran’s political and religious supreme leader, has hosted rallies where attendees chant “death to America” repeatedly. With a nuclear weapon, Iran and state-sponsored terrorist organizations would be empowered to further attack America and its allies. Hopefully, a deal will be reached soon in order to avoid an international catastrophe.
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