Trump claims he’s thwarting Iran. He’s not. Iran reported

World 10:45 06.02.2019

During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Donald Trump claimed that his decision to pull the US out of the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions on the country has put immense pressure on the Iranian regime and stifled its regional ambitions, as well as slowed its ability to obtain a nuclear weapon.

“My administration has acted decisively to confront the world’s leading state sponsor of terror: the radical regime in Iran,” Trump said Tuesday night in front of Congress. “To ensure this corrupt dictatorship never acquires nuclear weapons, I withdrew the United States from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. And last fall, we put in place the toughest sanctions ever imposed on a country.”

But his belief that he has single-handedly thwarted all of Iran’s designs just isn’t true — according to his own administration.

First, while the sanctions have put some additional pressure on the Iranian regime, European countries such as Germany and France have not only refused to follow the US in reimposing sanctions on Iran but have actually created a workaround that allows them to continue doing business with the country despite US sanctions. That could substantially blunt the economic impact of the Trump administration’s sanctions.

In fact, a new report released Monday from the Pentagon’s inspector general finds that “US sanctions re-imposed on Iran in August and November 2018 have had limited effect on Iran’s ability to operate in Syria,” where the country is helping to fund and arm proxies to prop up Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

The report does say that additional sanctions could hinder Iran, but as of now, the impact has been minimal at best.

Second, Trump has long argued that the Iran nuclear deal wouldn’t have stopped the country from getting a nuclear weapon and that staying in the deal actually would have led it to acquire nuclear weapons in “just a short time.”

But according to a report issued by top US intelligence officials last week, Iran’s “continued implementation” of the deal — even after Trump pulled the US out of it — “has extended the amount of time Iran would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon from a few months to about one year.”

What’s more, the report warns that “Iranian officials have publicly threatened” to “resume nuclear activities that the [nuclear deal] limits — if Iran does not gain the tangible trade and investment benefits it expected from the deal.”

So not only has Trump’s pressure on Iran not accomplished what he wanted it to, his decision to pull out of the nuclear deal could actually push Iran to try to pursue a nuclear weapon.

Put together, this means that Trump’s victory lap on Iran during the State of the Union address was based a lot more in fantasy than in reality.

Former UK Ambassador: ‘Negotiations between Azerbaijan, Armenia without mediators are big step’

News line

Sadyr Zhaparov: Azerbaijan is building its bright future with confidence
15:15 24.04.2024
Media: About 30 Israeli generals and Shin Bet officers held hostage by Hamas
Media: About 30 Israeli generals and Shin Bet officers held hostage by Hamas
15:00 24.04.2024
Monkeypox epidemic declared in Congo
14:50 24.04.2024
Ilham Aliyev: Visit of President of Kyrgyzstan to Azerbaijan will contribute to strengthening friendly, fraternal relations between two countries
14:40 24.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: ‘Azerbaijan is determined to continue active interaction with Kyrgyzstan in all areas’
14:38 24.04.2024
President of Azerbaijan invites his Kyrgyz counterpart to COP29
President of Azerbaijan invites his Kyrgyz counterpart to COP29
14:30 24.04.2024
Azerbaijan’s central bank, US Department of Treasury discuss financial stability
Azerbaijan’s central bank, US Department of Treasury discuss financial stability
14:30 24.04.2024
President of Azerbaijan invites his Kyrgyz counterpart to COP29
14:17 24.04.2024
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan hold meeting in limited format
14:08 24.04.2024
Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan sign documents
Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan sign documents
13:30 24.04.2024
Russian deputy defense minister arrested for two months
Russian deputy defense minister arrested for two months
12:45 24.04.2024
China urges US to stop arming Taiwan
China urges US to stop arming Taiwan
12:30 24.04.2024
The Gulf Observer Highlights Return of Four Gazakh Villages
12:25 24.04.2024
Zelensky thanks the US Senate for aid package
Zelensky thanks the US Senate for aid package
12:15 24.04.2024
Magnitude 5.4 quake hits coast of Tonga
Magnitude 5.4 quake hits coast of Tonga
11:55 24.04.2024
Russian attack injures six people in Ukraine's Kharkiv, governor says
11:44 24.04.2024
Kyrgyz President leaves for Azerbaijan - UPDATED
Kyrgyz President leaves for Azerbaijan - UPDATED
11:34 24.04.2024
CSTO Secretary-General: ‘Armenia should assess security threats’
11:10 24.04.2024
Ammunition found in Azerbaijan’s Khankandi
Ammunition found in Azerbaijan’s Khankandi
10:54 24.04.2024
Umud Mirzayev Condemns Flag Burning Incident in Yerevan, Highlights Role of Armenian Separatists
10:33 24.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: Armenia blocks possibility of building land connection with Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
President Ilham Aliyev: Armenia blocks possibility of building land connection with Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
10:14 24.04.2024
"Significance of Russian 'Peacekeeper' Withdrawal in South Caucasus - Insights from Political Expert Neil Watson
10:00 24.04.2024
Ilham Aliyev: Education of the young generation is one of our main priorities
09:46 24.04.2024
President: France, India, and Greece weaponizing Armenia against us—we can't just sit and wait
09:30 24.04.2024
Joe Biden to sign Ukraine aid bill on April 24
09:17 24.04.2024
President: Attainable to reach Azerbaijan-Armenia agreement before COP29, even on basic principles
09:02 24.04.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: We never forgot about issue of four villages
08:53 24.04.2024
President of Azerbaijan: 'World to need fossil fuels for many more years'
President of Azerbaijan: 'World to need fossil fuels for many more years'
23:00 23.04.2024
AI giants adopt safety measures to prevent child exploitation
AI giants adopt safety measures to prevent child exploitation
22:00 23.04.2024
Former UK Ambassador: ‘Negotiations between Azerbaijan, Armenia without mediators are big step’
21:00 23.04.2024
Raisi: There could be nothing left of Israel's govt if it attacks again
20:25 23.04.2024
President Aliyev: We aim for COP29's success in addressing climate change issue
20:00 23.04.2024
Lithuania welcomes agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia
Lithuania welcomes agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia
19:19 23.04.2024
Ukraine receives armored personnel carriers from Lithuania
Ukraine receives armored personnel carriers from Lithuania
19:00 23.04.2024
Sergey Stankevich: 'Soon, the new era in the history of the South Caucasus will be talked' - INTERVIEW
18:45 23.04.2024
Armenian Parliament rejected draft of opposition regarding border delimitation with Azerbaijan
18:18 23.04.2024
Pundit: Iran sees Azerbaijan as a potential threat to itself
18:00 23.04.2024
Czechia to hold extraordinary meeting of NATO foreign ministers in May
17:48 23.04.2024
Australian PM calls Elon Musk an 'arrogant billionaire' in row over attack footage
Australian PM calls Elon Musk an 'arrogant billionaire' in row over attack footage
17:29 23.04.2024
Umud Mirzayev: 'Revanchist politics led Armenia to disaster'
17:15 23.04.2024
Hamısı