Experts from The Henry Jackson Society have warned that today’s P5+1 nuclear deal with Iran is heavily stacked in Iran’s favour, with tangible concessions being granted by the international community in exchange for nothing more than a temporary nuclear freeze.
Under the terms of the arrangement, Iran will benefit from the unfreezing of $4.2 billion of foreign currency reserves and gain sanctions relief in trade in gold, precious metals, petrochemicals, auto parts and aircraft parts. While it has agreed to abandon 20% uranium enrichment in return, convert existing stocks of 20% uranium to harmless substances and stop development of new enrichment centrifuges and some new components at its Arak heavy water plant and plutonium reactor, these are easily reversible measures in contrast to the finality of the granting of money to the Iranian regime.
Crucially, Iran will not have to dismantle any of its existing enrichment centrifuges during the six month period of further negotiations provided by the deal.
Dr Alan Mendoza, Executive Director of The Henry Jackson Society, said: “The deal agreed between the P5+1 and Iran is flawed.
“In exchange for a six month cessation and partial rollback of its advanced nuclear status, Iran will be getting very real financial benefits that a regime brought to the brink of collapse by sanctions will seize upon as an economic lifeline. Even worse, our concessions cannot be reclaimed, whereas they can simply start their advanced nuclear activity again in six months time if they choose to because we have failed to dismantle any of their existing centrifuges.
“With 10,190 centrifuges already working, we could be stuck in a permanent situation of ‘nuclear blackmail’ going forwards where Iran dangles the threat of restarting advanced enrichment at any time to claim more sanctions relief from us.”