It is still unclear if the US had plan B for Iran nuclear deal or if they are just making this up on the run. That is something we could expect from President Trump, but according to Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State, they are planning on increasing economic pressure on the Middle East country. This should be done with the help of Europe and other allies in the world.
More details about “Plan B” or a “pipe dream,” as some critics call it, will be delivered by Pompeo in his speech that is scheduled for later today. This will be his first major addressing to the public related to foreign policy, and it is expected for him to give strong support to POTUS regarding the agreement with Iran.
One of the main things that will be emphasized in this speech is how the deal that was signed was bad and allowed Iran to significantly increase its influence all over the Middle East. This is all well backed up by the possibility of the country to trade with Europe and other countries as it is the major source of revenue for their activities. In his speech, it is expected for Pompeo to pressure EU and other allies to reimpose sanctions on Tehran and thus to force the other side to the negotiating table.
As we all know, an agreement that America dismissed was made by Barack Obama’s administration, and with it, sanctions were lifted while Iran stopped further development of their nuclear weapons. Also, most of the enriched uranium that they managed to produce was sent off to Russia.
What we know so far is that other signatories will honor the deal even with the US out of it. On top of that, Iran has reassured all the states that have signed the agreement that they will not step out of it as long as they have economic benefits that were promised to them.
This situation brought the US and Europe, traditional allies, to a brink of a trade war and Europe is eager to hear the Plan B that America has prepared. The main goal of Mr. Trump’s efforts is to include ballistic missile program and regional military involvement into the agreement that would further restrict both rockets development and their military engagement all over the Middle East. He also insists that the nuclear weapon development ban becomes permanent.
Here is what a senior State Department official stated: “We are welcoming ALL nations to join us in pushing back against Iran — our sanctions regime and our broader efforts welcome the participation of all countries.” He continued by adding “Certainly includes our allies in the Arab world, our European and Asian allies. Iran’s threats extend globally, the response to their malign behavior should match that.”
After the sanctions were lifted, European companies increased its export, and with new deals, the export jumped to about $13 billion in 2017. The US officials also suggested that they might target EU companies that work with Tehran regime. This didn’t go well with European representatives that announced the possibility of reimposing “blocking statue” that will protect EU businesses from any loses due to the US sanctions.
Source: edition.cnn.com