The new Iranian Nuclear Pact, passed on Nov. 17, has been heralded as a historic step forward in world security. The pact limits the amount of uranium Iran can enrich, freezes the installation of new centrifuges used to enrich uranium, and halts work on key pieces of a new reactor that could provide Iran with plutonium. The pact also increases the monitoring of Iran’s program. In return, Iran will receive some relief from trade sanctions and access to a few of its previously frozen overseas currency accounts. Sounds amazing. But is it too good to be true?
Israel, who arguably has the most to lose, wasn't invited to the talks and is very worried that this is a step in the wrong direction.
“What was achieved last night in Geneva is not a historic agreement, but a historic mistake,” Prime Minister Netanyahu declared in a cabinet meeting. He stressed that the pact in no way dismantles Iran’s nuclear program.
“Today the world has become a much more dangerous place because the most dangerous regime in the world has taken a significant step toward attaining the most dangerous weapon in the world,” he stated the morning after the pact was signed.
He is correct. The pact does not dismantle Iran’s program, it merely limits it. Iran is still able to refine uranium. The pact allows all centrifuges already installed to continue working. Monitoring does not extend to all locations, only the two big ones. There is also ambiguity in the pact, as Iran has stated the pact recognizes their “right” to enrich, while Secretary of State John Kerry has stated the opposite. This pact only extends the next six months and the incentives for Iran to comply only total out to a low seven billion.
While this allows for some breathing room, it also gives enough for them to get on their feet before denying step two and sprinting ahead with their nuclear program. Israel’s reaction to the pact has also strained Israeli-U.S. relations and could keep the U.S. from stepping in to back Israel if a problem between Israel and Iran were to erupt.
Ed Royce (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee has serious concerns about the agreement’s ability to protect the U.S. and its allies.
“Instead of rolling back Iran’s program, Tehran would be able to keep the key elements of its nuclear weapons-making capability. Yet we are the ones doing the dismantling – relieving Iran of the sanctions pressure built up over years," Royce said.
In a sense, we only put a weak leash on Iran for a limited time. We have provided an economic boost to the country without stopping anything. We haven’t even pushed a pause button, merely a slow motion button.
