Barely a few days pass without someone from Iran or the United States commenting against the nuclear deal that has brought about a semblance of thaw in relations between Washington and Tehran. A poll conducted by CNN/ORC on Sunday found that 59 percent Americans disapprove of the way President Barack Obama is handling US relations with the Islamic Republic, and about half would have preferred Congress reject the deal. It is true that the nuclear agreement between Iran and six nations signed on July 14 is a strategic one in terms of limiting the capability of Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and freeing the country from debilitating sanctions that have severely damaged its economy and trade relations with the western world. As such, the deal is not only a foot in the door for Tehran to reach out to the West but also a chance for western businesses to explore the Iranian market.
Considering the significance of the agreement and the stakes involved, it would surprise if there were no opposition to it. However, voices on both sides have made sure that the deal is not only criticised but done in a way to undermine an attempt at building bridges between Washington and Tehran. On September 9, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the country will not hold talks with the US on issues other than nuclear negotiations. In two months after the much-vaunted deal was signed, this is probably the umpteenth time that Khamenei has talked about Iran-US relations in a negative light. It is Iran that has more to gain from the nuclear agreement that unshackles much of its economy, not the United States, which gains more in terms of strategic depth by defanging an adversary. In Washington’s official circles, there has been no word painting future ties with Iran in a bad light. In fact, Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have always sounded conciliatory on future ties with Tehran.
On the political front, Republicans have made a lot of noise over the agreement, terming it a sell out by Obama who has been understandably targeted in a pre-election year. The latest poll says most Americans think Iran will ultimately violate the terms of the agreement, with 37percent calling that extremely likely and 23percent saying very likely. But opposition to the deal or to the larger canvas of future bilateral ties with Tehran hasn’t been vitriolic in the US. The poll only points to a pervasive element of mistrust in ties between Tehran and Washington.
Be it the Head of the Assembly of Experts of Iran or the head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, senior Iranian officials have queered the pitch for better ties with America. Probably, it is the ubiquitous grain of viral anti-Americanism in Iran that gets the better of officials or political expediency that doesn’t let them change their opinion.
Barely a few days pass without someone from Iran or the United States commenting against the nuclear deal that has brought about a semblance of thaw in relations between Washington and Tehran. A poll conducted by CNN/ORC on Sunday found that 59 percent Americans disapprove of the way President Barack Obama is handling US relations with the Islamic Republic, and about half would have preferred Congress reject the deal. It is true that the nuclear agreement between Iran and six nations signed on July 14 is a strategic one in terms of limiting the capability of Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and freeing the country from debilitating sanctions that have severely damaged its economy and trade relations with the western world. As such, the deal is not only a foot in the door for Tehran to reach out to the West but also a chance for western businesses to explore the Iranian market.
Considering the significance of the agreement and the stakes involved, it would surprise if there were no opposition to it. However, voices on both sides have made sure that the deal is not only criticised but done in a way to undermine an attempt at building bridges between Washington and Tehran. On September 9, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the country will not hold talks with the US on issues other than nuclear negotiations. In two months after the much-vaunted deal was signed, this is probably the umpteenth time that Khamenei has talked about Iran-US relations in a negative light. It is Iran that has more to gain from the nuclear agreement that unshackles much of its economy, not the United States, which gains more in terms of strategic depth by defanging an adversary. In Washington’s official circles, there has been no word painting future ties with Iran in a bad light. In fact, Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have always sounded conciliatory on future ties with Tehran.
On the political front, Republicans have made a lot of noise over the agreement, terming it a sell out by Obama who has been understandably targeted in a pre-election year. The latest poll says most Americans think Iran will ultimately violate the terms of the agreement, with 37percent calling that extremely likely and 23percent saying very likely. But opposition to the deal or to the larger canvas of future bilateral ties with Tehran hasn’t been vitriolic in the US. The poll only points to a pervasive element of mistrust in ties between Tehran and Washington.
Be it the Head of the Assembly of Experts of Iran or the head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, senior Iranian officials have queered the pitch for better ties with America. Probably, it is the ubiquitous grain of viral anti-Americanism in Iran that gets the better of officials or political expediency that doesn’t let them change their opinion.
