Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is warning of a “high price” should the United States back out of the nuclear accords signed by the Obama Administration. President Donald Trump had labeled the nuclear deal the “worst deal ever negotiated” while on the 2016 campaign trail. Meanwhile, Israel has continued to rail against the nuclear accords and has been using its considerable influence to drum up support.
NCRI: The nuclear program of Iran, which has remained intact, and away from the eyes of the international community.
The Nuclear Accords, signed back in 2015, are making their way back into the spotlight as the United Nations convenes. Leaders from around the world, including Presidents Trump and Rouhani, have flocked to New York for the General Assembly session. Rather than fostering peace and cooperation, the General Assembly session has a way of opening old wounds, with the 2017 meeting being no different.
Many security hawks have been urging President Trump to pull out of the deal. Just last week, the United States extended sanction reform, but that was a simple procedural move. Meeting with Irsaeli Prime Minister at the United Nations, President Trump was asked about America’s commitment to the nuclear accords. He responded with “you will see very soon”, and said that the United States was reviewing the deal and making plans.
Perhaps ominiously, Rouhani seemed to angle his threat directly at the American people, stating:
“Exiting such an agreement would carry a high cost for the United States of America, and I do not believe Americans would be willing to pay such a high cost for something that will be useless for them.”
Rouhani also warned that the United States would erode “international trust” by backing out of the deal. So far, Iran has upheld its end of the accords, but critics have blasted the deal as favoring Iran. The once isolated regime is enjoying an influx of cash as sanctions have been dropped. Critics warn that this money could be used for weapons research, including nuclear technology.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), states:
“The Iranian regime came to the negotiating table out of absolute desperation because of the impact of the sanctions and international isolation, and it remains even more desperate to keep the nuclear deal, as the rising discontent by the population is threatening the regime internally.
The real issue, however, is the weaponization part of the nuclear program of Iran, which has remained intact, and away from the eyes of the international community. Rouhani better talk about access to all nuclear sites of Iran, including the main ones in military complexes such as Parchin, Mojdeh in Lavizan area, and other locations controlled by Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (known by its Farsi acronym as SPND), which is responsible for building the nuclear bomb.”
The NCRI’s parent organization, the Mujahideen e Khalq (MeK), once tussled for control of Iran with the now-ruling Mullahs. The MeK is the largest and most active Iranian dissident group outside of Iran, with many of its members now living in exile in Europe.
Iran has also allegedly been funding Shia Muslim militia groups across the Middle East. The on-going conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and elsewhere have largely fallen across the Sunni-Shia divide across the region. Meanwhile, the on-going Qatar-Saudi Arabia diplomatic crisis is the direct result of Qatar’s increasing closeness with Iran.
The Organization of Iranian American Communities, which supports the NCRI, will be holding a rally on September 20th in New York, and will feature prominent speakers, including Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, and retired Senator Joe Lieberman.
