America’s Thoughtless Withdrawal from Iran Deal Causes Problems for the World

Against the urging of the international community, President Donald Trump announced America’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, a move which should very much be reconsidered, as it could very well aggravate the already chaotic state of affairs in the Middle East.

This move is, in part, a way to gain favor with the conservative base. But the result – withdrawal from the deal – also seems to be a way for Trump, who holds a grudge against former President Barack Obama, to dismantle the legacy of his predecessor. As always, Trump has acted thoughtlessly, without considering the gravity of the situation.

The nuclear deal was established by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (America, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and China), Germany and Iran. Following a conference, they decided on a framework that allows for Iran to continue nuclear development and retain possession of nuclear arms. Dissenters have criticized the deal for being too lax.

Certainly, allowing Iran these rights further reduces the policy of nuclear nonproliferation to a mere formality – we cannot deny that.

However, there is plenty of reason to assume that a breakdown in negotiations will result in Israel forcibly attempting to stop Iran through military action. Therefore, the nuclear resolution also represented a commitment to avoiding war.

How will North Korea respond to Trump’s one-sided decision on a matter that affects multiple countries so seriously?

America’s national security advisor and former U.N. representative John Bolton said the president’s decision “sends North Korea a signal that we’re not in these discussions with Kim Jong Un just to have a deal.” But this move has only deepened distrust toward America.

Trump has often said he wants to wash his hands of the current state of affairs in the Middle East, but at the same time, he takes actions that only serve to fan the flames of the current situation.

Nevertheless, America’s withdrawal from the deal simultaneously hurts Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s position while invigorating hard-line American conservatives.

Fortunately, Rouhani has demonstrated his intent to adhere to the nuclear deal. Some speculate that if Iran resumes nuclear development, its neighbors like Saudi Arabia will also begin nuclear development in response, creating a “nuclear domino effect.”

Iran wants to rebuild economic ties with Europe and America after sanctions are removed, but Trump has instead called for the harshest sanctions to be reimposed. European investments in Iran will unavoidably suffer as a result of such sanctions.

I hope the international community can cooperate in an effort to prevent Iran from being driven to resume nuclear development.