By Maria Amjad
In a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on July 13, US President Donald Trump said that new threats are emerging from “rogue regimes like North Korea, Iran and Syria, and the governments that finance and support them.” On July 15, Iran rejected these claims and blamed Trumps arbitrary and conflicting policies as the cause of the global security threat.
Tensions between Iran and the United States have heightened since the ascension of Trump as the US President. He distrusts Iran with its nuclear deal and has blamed it as a key backer of militant groups.
Denunciation of US-Iran nuclear deal
The US foreign policy has undergone a significant overhaul ever since Trump entered the office. Trumps administration has been very articulate about its policy towards Iran, calling Obamas nuclear deal with Iran the worst deal ever negotiated and saying that it will provide Iran with a patient pathway to nuclear weapons. It also believes that Iran will eventually hand over the nuclear weapons to terrorists.
The US-Iran nuclear deal was signed on January 16, 2016, after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verified that Iran has dismantled large sections of its nuclear program that will ensure that its nuclear program isand remainsexclusively peaceful. After this, the United States and European nations lifted oil and financial sanctions on Iran and released roughly $100 billion of its assets.
The renewed US sanctions on Iran
Trumps administration ratcheted up pressure on Iran after it carried out a missile test on the eve of January 30. Though the missile test did not breach the nuclear-deal, the United States took a serious notice of the act by putting Tehran on notice.
Further, it put sanctions on thirteen individuals and twelve entities. Under the sanctions, those involved cannot access the US financial system or deal with US companies. They are also subject to “secondary sanctions”, which means foreign companies and individuals are prohibited from dealing with them or they risk being blacklisted by the United States.
With these measures, the US has indicated its shift of policy towards Iran, which has further deepened the rift between the two countries.
Iran: ‘Worlds leading sponsor of terrorism’
In his speech at the Arab-Islamic-American Summit 2017, Trump pledged to strengthen Americas oldest friendships with the countries of the Middle East and to build new partnerships in pursuit of peace. He emphasised that America wants peace, security and prosperity in the Middle East. He wanted all the nations of this region to collate with the US in stamping out extremism and terrorism.
According to Trump, the reforms include exterminating the governments that provide a safe harbour, financial backing and social standing to terrorists. Trump did not mince words: I am speaking of course, of Iran. He said that Iran funds, arms, and trains terrorists, militias, and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.
By criticising Iran, Trump wanted to exhibit his support for Saudi Arabia, an old adversary of Iran. Apart from sectarian differences between the two countries, Saudi Arabia has been troubled by the fact that Iran has been granted the privilege of enriching a restricted amount of uranium.
Trump alleged that Iran has been influencing Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain and Lebanon to sideline Saudi Arabia and gain regional hegemony. He further asked all nations to work together to economically and politically isolate Iran until the country stops funding terrorists.
Trump’s hostility proves costly for Iran
The confrontation between the US and Iran will have multi-fold implications. The strict sanctions imposed on Iran as a result of the ballistic missile tests have declined Irans per capita GDP by 8%. Inflation has increased by over 10%, while Irans crude oil export revenues have fallen by about 40%. Also, the Iranian currency plummeted as the sanctions effectively locked Iran out of the international financial system.
The recent news is that the US is going to impose more sanctions on Iran in order to discourage it from expanding its nuclear program. However, this plan may backfire. Iran might not be left with any option other than to aggressively respond to the sanctions by expanding its nuclear program. This may result in the renunciation of the US-Iran nuclear deal which has thus far been a successful diplomatic move of the previous Obama administration.
Furthermore, by his unequivocal hostility towards Iran, Trump will likely exacerbate the proxy wars between Iran and Saudi Arabia. This will worsen sectarian conflict in the Middle East. Trumps administration needs to fully gUS-Iran tensions have heightened since Trump became the US President. He has spoken against the US-Iran nuclear deal and imposed fresh sanctions on Iran in response to recent missile testing, accusing it of sponsoring terrorism. Trump’s hostility to Iran and support for Saudi Arabia may exacerbate proxy wars in the region.rasp the religious and political complexities of the region before wading into them. It needs to show strategic patience and flexibility to deal with Iran so that the prospect of conflict in the region is minimised.
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