Even though the US and Iran have not yet announced a nuclear deal, national and international actors are already reacting to the possibility. Examining the vast network of interests surrounding the relationship between the two countries is an interesting example of competing interests playing out on a very visible stage, and emphasizes the extent of ramifications that a single action can have.
As Barbara Slavin points out in a recent Al-Jazeera article, despite the fact that Iran has refused to negotiate with the US in the past, Iran’s suffering economy and popular demand for “an improvement in living standard and better ties with the West,” are creating an environment in which it is more conceivable for Iran’s government to “accept ceiling on its nuclear activities…in exchange for sanctions relief.” This deal could also mark a significant shift in future Iran-US relations.
Several Arab nations, most prominently Saudi Arabia, have expressed concern that a nuclear deal between the US and Iran could disproportionately increase Iran’s regional influence. The US response – in the form of John Kerry visiting Saudi Arabia – aimed to assure the worried leaders that Washington still considers Iran to be a state sponsor of terrorism and a potential destabilizing influence in the region. Excellent.
Iraq is more on board with the deal, given the considerable military support it is currently receiving from Iran in the fight against ISIS. A lifting of sanctions on Iraq will presumably give it more economic oomph, which could translate to greater funding for its military, which would be good for Iraq.
Israel probably had the most dramatic reaction, as the progression of talks between the US and Iran prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give his first-ever address before Congress. He warned Congress that “Iran’s regime poses a grave threat, not only to Israel, but also the peace of the entire world.” (Side note: He also used the most incredibly alliterative sentence I’ve ever read in a speech: “Iran's goons in Gaza, its lackeys in Lebanon, its revolutionary guards on the Golan Heights are clutching Israel with three tentacles of terror.”)
Interestingly, the issue of Iran’s nuclear program seemed secondary in the reactions of the international community. While stifling the nuclear program is a priority for the US, other countries have different primary concerns.
As Barbara Slavin points out in a recent Al-Jazeera article, despite the fact that Iran has refused to negotiate with the US in the past, Iran’s suffering economy and popular demand for “an improvement in living standard and better ties with the West,” are creating an environment in which it is more conceivable for Iran’s government to “accept ceiling on its nuclear activities…in exchange for sanctions relief.” This deal could also mark a significant shift in future Iran-US relations.
Several Arab nations, most prominently Saudi Arabia, have expressed concern that a nuclear deal between the US and Iran could disproportionately increase Iran’s regional influence. The US response – in the form of John Kerry visiting Saudi Arabia – aimed to assure the worried leaders that Washington still considers Iran to be a state sponsor of terrorism and a potential destabilizing influence in the region. Excellent.
Iraq is more on board with the deal, given the considerable military support it is currently receiving from Iran in the fight against ISIS. A lifting of sanctions on Iraq will presumably give it more economic oomph, which could translate to greater funding for its military, which would be good for Iraq.
Israel probably had the most dramatic reaction, as the progression of talks between the US and Iran prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give his first-ever address before Congress. He warned Congress that “Iran’s regime poses a grave threat, not only to Israel, but also the peace of the entire world.” (Side note: He also used the most incredibly alliterative sentence I’ve ever read in a speech: “Iran's goons in Gaza, its lackeys in Lebanon, its revolutionary guards on the Golan Heights are clutching Israel with three tentacles of terror.”)
Interestingly, the issue of Iran’s nuclear program seemed secondary in the reactions of the international community. While stifling the nuclear program is a priority for the US, other countries have different primary concerns.
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