Dozens of US diplomats and army leaders call on Trump to restore the Iranian nuclear agreement
Over 50 ambassadors and senior army officers (retired) critical of the president's choices. For the signatories, the pact has a strategic value for the US and strengthens security in the Middle East. It is essential to re-establish relations with Europe. We need a "multilateral" initiative to contain Tehran.
Washington (AsiaNews) - The United States must re-enter the Iranian nuclear agreement, because it will help strengthen national security and strategic policies implemented by Washington in the Middle East.
This is the appeal launched in recent days by over 50 former senior army officers and prominent US diplomats, who criticize the Trump administration's decision to cancel a historic pact and which contributes to the security of Washington and the world.
The 2015 agreement, explained the promoters of the initiative gathered within the American College of National Security Leaders, has placed severe restrictions on the ayatollahs' atomic program. At the same time, it has effectively prevented the Islamic Republic from pursuing research aimed at producing nuclear weapons, guaranteeing the security of the United States and its allies.
US President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),wanted by his predecessor Barack Obama. The JCPOA deal was signed in 2015, but the United States pulled out in May 2018 despite the opposition of the international community. US President Donald Trump followed the withdrawal by imposing the toughest sanctions in history against Iran. The decision has negatively impacted the Iranian economy as noted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Oil exports have dropped considerably, which was the goal of the second round of sanctions that came into effect on 4 November.
Among the signatories of the appeal are ambassadors, diplomats and senior officials who have held prominent positions in the past within the military and politics. They include Laura Kennedy, for 40 years in service to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, her colleague Susan Burk, special representative at the time of nuclear talks and Admiral Sandy Adams, for years on mission in Afghanistan. An initiative that follows the online petition launched in January in which activists, teachers, Jewish religious leaders, Christians and Muslims asked Trump to relax his grip on Tehran and avoid the danger of a conflict.
Appealing to the White House to reverse its withdrawal from the agreement, generals and diplomats explain why it is fundamental for global security and the strategic interests of the United States, starting from a stronger collaboration with Europe, set aside in recently. The signatories recall that, despite the US withdrawal, the Islamic Republic continues to keep faith with the commitments made in the context of the nuclear agreement, as certified several times by the IAEA experts.
Furthermore, thanks to JCPOA, Iranian companies cannot carry out the activities necessary for the production of atomic bombs and international monitoring is strengthened. The European allies, the promoters recall, are "committed" to keeping the agreement alive, which they consider "a key element for the non-proliferation of atomic weapons" and "multilateral diplomacy".
While condemning the missile experiments, they affirm that "re-entering the nuclear agreement will contribute to putting in place a broader" diplomatic and military "strategy for the Middle East" and containing the Iranian threat with a "multilateral" initiative. "We must remember - the appeal concludes - that the initial agreement was a long-term strategic effort focused on one objective: to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapons program".
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28/05/2019 11:45
