OPINION:
ANALYSIS/OPINION
It seems puzzling that the Obama administration is now calling for sanctions against Iran for launching ballistic missiles able to carry nuclear warheads in an obvious bid by the Islamic Republic to develop this capability. The new sanction demand is puzzling because the White House softened language in the agreement that absolutely prohibited Iran from doing so.
“Iranian officials spent the frantic final weeks before last year’s nuclear agreement pushing Washington to eliminate a long-standing U.N. prohibition on its ballistic missile program. They didn’t get the ban scrapped, but they did get it softened,” reports Foreign Policy.
Prior to the agreement, the U.N. language stated in categorical terms that all U.N. member nations specifically and legally prohibited Iran from such endeavors. The wording was changed to simply, ’Iran is called upon not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.’ This wording gives Iran the ability to easily develop short and medium range ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads without fear of violating the nuclear ’deal’ signed last summer.
Iran has stated over and over that these recent missile tests do not violate the agreement. In light of these revelations, perhaps they are correct.
It is also obvious why the Obama administration has not been more forceful in calling out Iran for testing these weapons which will allow them to easily threaten Israel and Europe with nuclear destruction. They have not done so because the White House allowed Iran to move forward with these tests in the first place.
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