America’s enemies should fear America, but America’s friends
should fear America more……….. Henry Kissinger.
The above quote best describes the recently agreed nuclear
accord between Iraq and the World powers. The much awaited negotiations were
finally concluded after 20 months of arduous negotiations, on the 14th
day of July, 2015. The 14th day of July, 2015 will forever linger in
the hearts of the citizens of the Nation of Iran .President Barrack Obama of
USA was the frontline advocate of this nuclear treaty, he majorly championed
the cause together with other permanent members of the United Nations. The
president stood tall despite all the stiff opposition from within and without,
most significant of which was the opposition from the Congress of the United States
of America. The congress disapproved of this treaty majorly because, the treaty
did not address Iran’s troublesome role in the Middle Eastern terrorist rise,
especially its role in the funding of Hezbollah, a terrorist group based in
Jordan.
A look into Iran’s nuclear history is pertinent here. The
history of Iran’s nuclear weaponry can be traced back to the 1950’s; ironically
the United States was of notable help. The United States of America signed a
treaty to help Iran set up a nuclear program; a significant rise in the nuclear
program had a positive impact on Iran’s economy, especially with the increase
in oil prices. Iran benefitted a lot from this oil price increase and she
became a force to reckon with in the oil market, which also led USA to purchase
oil from her.
The US government
under the leadership of Barrack Obama spearheaded a nuclear accord with Iran.
Some of the agreements include;
- Iran's current stockpile of low-enriched uranium will be reduced by 98 percent, from 10,000 kg to 300 kg. This reduction will be maintained for at least fifteen years. For the same fifteen-year period, Iran will be limited to enriching uranium to 3.67%, a percentage sufficient for civilian nuclear power and research, but not for building a nuclear weapon. This is a "major decline" in Iran's previous nuclear activity; prior to watering down its stockpile pursuant to the Joint Plan of Action interim agreement, Iran had enriched uranium to near 20%.
- Iran will reduce by at least two-thirds the number of its centrifuges (tube-shaped machines used to enrich uranium), from its current stockpile of 19,000 centrifuges (of which 10,000 were operational) to no more than 6,104, with only 5,060 allowed to enrich uranium over the next ten years. All enrichment capacity (i.e., the maximum 5,060 centrifuges) will be limited to the Natanz plant. The centrifuges there must be IR-1 centrifuges, the first-generation centrifuge type which is Iran's oldest and least efficient; Iran must give up its advanced IR-2M centrifuges. The decommissioned centrifuges will be retained by Iran, but will sent to monitored storage by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
- Iran's Fordow facility will stop enriching uranium and researching uranium enrichment for at least fifteen years; the facility will be converted into a nuclear, physics and technology research center. Fordow will be permitted to keep 1,044 IR-1 centrifuges in six cascades in one wing of Fordow. "Two of those six cascades will spin without uranium and will be transitioned, including through appropriate infrastructure modification," for stable radioisotope production for medical, agricultural, industrial, and scientific use. "The other four cascades with all associated infrastructure will remain idle." Iran will not be permitted to have any fissile material. Iran will not build any new uranium-enrichment facilities for fifteen years. Iran will also not be permitted to build any additional heavy-water reactors or accumulate heavy water for fifteen years
- Iran must make changes to several facilities. In order to reduce the proliferation threat, Iran must reduce centrifuges at the Arak complex and rebuild the complex using a design approved by the international community, to make it impossible to produce weapons-grade plutonium. As long as the Arak reactor exists, all spent fuel will be sent out of the country.
- Iran may continue research and development work on enrichment, but that work will take place only at the Natanz facility and will be limited to eight years. This is intended to keep the country to a breakout time of one year.
- A comprehensive inspections regime will be implemented; Iran will be required to allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to all of Iran's declared facilities, including the Parchin military facility, in order to monitor and confirm that Iran is complying with its obligations and is not diverting any fissile material.
The agreement
was in exchange for the reduction in sanctions against Iran by the United
States and the International community at large, most of which will prove
positive for the economic wellbeing of Citizens life.(of course, who will see
America’s “goody bag” smiling at her and not go for it). Some other parts of
the sanction reduction includes;
The
United States and the European Union would lift their nuclear-related sanctions against Iran
(specified in Annex II of the agreement) after the IAEA verifies that several
key steps have been taken
- Sanctions relating to ballistic missile technologies would remain for eight years; similar sanctions on conventional weapon sales to Iran would remain for five years.
- Eight years into the agreement, EU sanctions against a number of Iranian companies and individuals (such as Qasem Soleimani) will be lifted.
- However, all U.S. sanctions against Iran related to human rights abuses, missiles, and support for terrorism are not affected by the agreement and will remain in place. U.S. sanctions are viewed as more stringent, since many have extraterritorial effect (i.e., they apply worldwide). EU sanctions, by contrast, apply only in Europe.
However, one
must not be quick to forget that this part the Obama led US government is
treading as already been treaded upon previously by his predecessors. Of recent
is the Nuclear weapons treaty signed between the Clinton led US administration
and North Korea, far back in 1994. The treaty then had all the writings of this
current treaty, with agreements concluded and plan going on smoothly. But all
plans and agreement went sour when there was a change in government. George W
Bush who was then the president of United States of America felt the need to
change the terms of agreement in 2004, about 10 years after the initial plan
was made, this led North Korea leaving the NPT agreement and the country went
ahead to further develop nuclear weapons and technologies numbering up to 10,
and this has made the country to be dreaded and negative feelings have
developed between both Nations up till today.
Hence, a critical issue that comes to mind
is the fact that ‘what is the confidence Obama has that this deal will be
sustained by the incoming administration, considering the fact that Obama’s
tenure is less than 15 months from been over?’ Already, there are strong
indications that the administration may not sustain this deal of nuclear accord
between both countries. If this eventually happens, then it means history is
about to repeat itself, another ‘North Korea is in the making’. A rogue and
uncontrollable state in the International environment.
The USA has succeeded in making herself the
hegemonic power of the world, despite the existence of the International umpire,
which is, the United Nations. United States of America has allowed her selfish
interests to override the overall interests of the World, as it is no more a
secret that the United States of America will only contribute in any issue,
where large benefits accrues to Her. Ask me how I know this? Simple, the Middle
East primarily views USA has the cause of all the woes that has befallen her
(the region), especially considering USA’s role in the war against Iraq, her
close neighbor. Hence, it is sensible to come to a conclusion that USA is
actually trying to seek the good recognition and favour of the region,
considering the amount of hate that the Middle Eastern region has for the west.
This is apart from the numerous economic benefits that the USA stands to gain.
A lesson here is that, the hegemonic dominance
of USA should not be undermined, as the Nation can single handedly pull strings
all on her own, with little or no help from the other World powers. Her
importance in the world affairs should never be underestimated at all
