During his speech in Kansas City on Tuesday, President Trump said he is “ready to make a real deal” with Iran, adding that “Iran is not the same country anymore.” He also said this new deal would not be like the “disaster” deal made by the Obama Administration.
The statement comes just two days after President Trump’s bellicose Tweet threatening Iran with “consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before.” Speculation was that this was an attempt to replicate the US strategy in North Korea, where threats were followed with successful diplomacy.
Yet Iran and North Korea are clearly dramatically different situations, not the least of which because Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons, or a nuclear arms program to dismantle. Willingness to negotiate at all with Iran is a substantial difference in Trump Administration position, however.
Trump’s position that Iran is “not the same country anymore” is also a significant one, even if he didn’t elaborate in this speech. In previous comments, Trump has suggested Iran shows the US more respect since he withdrew from the P5+1 nuclear deal.
This could be a significant long-term aspect of Trump’s position on Iran, if he feels that presenting Iran’s behavior as improving is important to defending his decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal. When the president feels that a deal would vindicate his past policies, he seems much more eager to make such deals.
No, Iran doesn’t ‘show the US more respect’ since Trump reneged on the JCPOA and bailed on the other signatories. If anything, Iran knows not to trust us- if we’ll leave our allies twisting in the wind, why shouldn’t Iran expect to get screwed over as well? I’m sure Iran is wary of us at the very least- but ‘respect us’? I doubt it.
I read an article in Politico yesterday that suggested that Trump was playing the same game with Iran that he played with North Korea. This would seem to support such a notion.
I’m sure Iran is quite aware of this also. Of course we Americans think we’re just talking amongst ourselves in code and no one else can figure us out.
A “real deal” In other words, Pompeo’s twelve steps to losing your sovereignty.
Trump’s pullout from the JCPOA was not so much about Iran as it was a slap to Obama. The Iran deal was Obama’s only positive legacy in an otherwise eight years of war crimes. Trump undid it in a heartbeat. Maybe it was payback for Obama’s role in the Russiagate affair — Obama gave the order to find dirt on Trump to get the FISA warrants. If this is the reason for Trump’s dumping of JCPOA and his recent remarks about Iran not being the same country, we may not be looking at a potential war situation after all.
Or maybe he did it for his pal Bibi. Plus his boner for Obama started long before Russia-gate.
Trump says “Iran is not the same country anymore”. Same as what?
Trump might have Syria – Israel tango in mind . Getting Iran out of Syria and Hivbullah out of Syria might be influencing his decision to sound conciliatory to Iran . What will Iran get ?
Personally what Trump will get ?
Obviously his re election bid will increase exponentially . He might build the new embassy . He might convince neocons to allow him strike a deal with Iran to force Russia agree on some other areas .
It depends if Israel comes to view that certain status quo can be achieved which can’t be achieved despite Russian and American supports , but can be with an Iran on board . That means Israel convincing America to engage with Iran.