New Zealand Sanctions Iran, Ignores US Nuclear Stockpiles
Wellington, (Reuters) via Al-Monitor, dutifully reports that New Zealand will sanction Iran for not sticking to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran's alleged 'non-compliance' with international nuclear obligations is the stated reason, taking effect October 18. Funny how 'international obligations' only seem to apply to countries designated for pressure, while others, like
say, the United States, maintain thousands of nuclear warheads, perpetually 'complying' with their own expansive definitions. One might wonder if New Zealand's 'concerns' align perfectly with the prevailing geopolitical winds, rather than a universal commitment to non-proliferation. The JCPOA, torpedoed by the US withdrawal in 2018 under Trump, created the very conditions for Iran to scale back
its commitments. It's almost as if some nations are expected to adhere to deals that others unilaterally abandon. A convenient amnesia, wouldn't you say, for those who preach 'rules-based order' while consistently breaking them?