Iran Nuclear Deal

Published in Sanyo News
(Japan) on 27 October 2017
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Deborah Chapin. Edited by Tiana Robles.
President Donald Trump has announced a plan not to recertify the nuclear agreement that Iran made with the United States, Europe, and other countries because of its serious flaws. This has added to the international community’s worries.

The current framework remains, but Trump warned that if Congress and U.S. allies could not find a resolution to the problem, then the U.S. would terminate the agreement. Iran strongly rejects this, and sent a protest to European and other countries – those in charge of solving the problem. The relationship among countries is tense.

The nuclear agreement provides that the United States and Europe were to lift economic sanctions in exchange for Iran restricting its nuclear development, such as uranium enrichment. In August, the International Atomic Energy Agency, which verifies compliance with the agreement, wrote a report concluding that Iran is complying.

Since it is a multilateral framework that has wide support from the international community, one cannot help but say that Trump is being selfish. As a continuation of the withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris climate agreement, it is concerning that once again the “America First” mentality is having repercussions.

Suspicions arose about Iran’s nuclear development in 2002. Iran, together with the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council – the U.S., the U.K., France, China and Russia – and Germany, reached the agreement 13 years after the allegations.

Concerning the problem with the agreement, Trump has pointed out that it tolerates ballistic missiles, and that portions of the nuclear restrictions expire in 2025, calling it “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.” There are calls for revisions to relevant domestic laws, such as expansions that cover the necessary implementation of sanctions due to missile development, in order to improve the agreement.

It is now up to Congress, but there is also fear that one-sided changes will inevitably be seen as a violation of the agreement, and Iran, who is opposed to changes, will resume nuclear development.

During last year’s presidential election, Trump took a clear and unyielding stance toward Iran. It could be said that Trump’s decision not to recertify the agreement is his attempt to save face. The deal between the United States and Iran, whose diplomatic relations were severed following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, is considered to be a representative example of the Obama administration’s legacy. The aim of Trump’s appeal for change is clear.

Israel, and those who oppose Iran, welcomed this, but the European Union, which worked to coordinate this agreement, has criticized Trump. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also declared that he strongly supports continuing the agreement.

After the economic sanctions were lifted in Iran, crude oil exportation made a sharp recovery and, including in Japan, foreign business markets made vigorous advancements. If the agreement is discarded, then our country may not be able to avoid suffering an impact.

The international community is increasing pressure on North Korea to slow down its nuclear missile development. There is danger that North Korea will think that the United States cannot be trusted and that this will cast a pall on on problem solving measures. Caution should be used when using personal reasons alone to take a stand on scrapping diplomatic agreements.


2015年に米欧などがイランと結んだ核合意について、トランプ米大統領が深刻な欠陥があるとして、実効性を認めない方針を表明したことに、国際社会の懸念が広がっている。

 合意の枠組みには当面とどまるが、米議会や同盟国との協議を通じて問題を解決できなければ、合意を破棄すると警告した。イランは強く反発し、合意履行の問題解決に当たる欧米諸国などとの合同委員会に抗議を申し立てる書面を送付した。両国関係は緊張の一途をたどっている。

 合意はウラン濃縮などイランの核開発を10~15年制限し、徹底した監視下に置いた上で、米欧は経済制裁を解除した。履行を検証する国際原子力機関(IAEA)は今年8月、イランが合意を順守しているという報告書をまとめている。

 多国間の枠組みであり、国際社会が広く支持する中、トランプ氏の警告は身勝手と言わざるを得ない。環太平洋連携協定(TPP)や地球温暖化防止の枠組み「パリ協定」からの脱退表明などに続き、「米国第一」主義がまたも波紋を広げたことを憂慮する。

 合意は、02年に核兵器開発疑惑が明らかになったイランと、国連安保理の常任理事国である米英仏中ロにドイツを加えた6カ国が、疑惑発覚から13年を経てこぎ着けた。

 トランプ氏は合意の問題点として、イランの弾道ミサイル開発が黙認されているほか、核開発制限の一部が2025年で切れることなどを挙げて「米国が結んだ最悪で最も一方的な合意」と指摘した。制裁発動の要件をミサイル開発に拡大するなど関連国内法を改正して合意を改善するよう求めている。

 議会に判断を委ねた形だが、一方的な条件変更は合意違反とみなされることが必至で、反発したイランが核開発を再開する恐れもある。

 トランプ氏が合意を認めないのは、昨年の大統領選で訴えたイランへの強硬姿勢を鮮明にし、メンツを保つことを優先したと言える。1979年のイラン革命後、国交を断絶した米国とイランによる合意は、オバマ前政権のレガシー(政治的遺産)の代表例とされ、その転換をアピールする狙いは明らかだ。

 イランと対立するイスラエルなどは歓迎しているが、合意の調整役を務めた欧州連合(EU)はトランプ氏を批判し、国連のグテレス事務総長も合意存続を強く希望するとの声明を発表した。

 イランでは経済制裁解除後、原油輸出が急回復して、日本を含む外国企業の市場進出が活発になった。合意が破棄されれば、わが国への影響も避けられまい。

 核・ミサイル開発の阻止へ国際社会が圧力を強める北朝鮮にも「米国は信用できない」と思わせ、問題解決に影を落とす恐れがあろう。自らの論理だけで外交上の合意をほごにする姿勢は慎むべきだ。
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