Author: Kali Robinson
Affiliation: Council on Foreign Relations
Organization/Publisher: Council on Foreign Relations
Date/Place: January 4, 2021/ New York, USA
Type of Literature: Research Article
Number of Pages: 9
Link: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-iran-nuclear-deal
Keywords: Iran Nuclear Deal, U.S., Militancy, Middle East
Brief:
In 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal was signed between Iran and P5+1 (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Germany). The deal enabled Iran to export its goods—particularly oil—to European and Asian states. In exchange, Iran pledged to contain the enrichment of Uranium for peaceful purposes only. JCPOA was a groundbreaking deal as it initiated the peace building process between Iran and the US during Barack Obama’s second tenure. Meanwhile, experts in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were optimistic that Iran would halt its pursuit to achieve weapon-grade Uranium while remaining within the guidelines of the JCPOA. After the election of Donald Trump as President of the US, a radical shift was observed in the policy-making corridors of the US State Department. Trump’s administration unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA without taking any other allied state onboard. As a result, Iran started its enrichment of Uranium and Plutonium beyond set guidelines. Tehran also halted the visits of IAEA to its nuclear sites. The recent killing of Iranian renowned nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh further instigates the Iranian nuclear weapon drive. Although President-elect Joe Biden is willing to resume the nuclear deal unilaterally halted by Trump, Tehran is persistent in demanding compensation for all the damages done by the US’ withdrawal from the deal. With the upcoming presidential elections in Iran, a conservative and hardliner president in Tehran would bring further decline in US-Iran relations.
By: Muhammad Taimoor Bin Tanveer, CIGA Senior Research Associate
