Trump Declared Iran 'Wants Nuclear Deal Badly' While Sabotaging It
In 2018, Trump declared Iran 'wants a nuclear deal badly' while he was actively dismantling the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement his own intelligence chiefs confirmed Iran was adhering to. This was not a pursuit of peace, but a strategic undoing of a multilateral accord, paving the way for increased tensions. (Remember Pompeo's 'unprecedented pressure campaign'?) This
rhetoric conveniently overlooked the fact that the original deal, ratified by the UN Security Council, had effectively constrained Iran's nuclear program without firing a single shot. Trump's withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018, against the pleas of European allies, wasn't about a better deal; it was about tearing down Obama's legacy and appeasing specific donor interests. The Foundation for
Defense of Democracies (FDD), a hawkish think tank, heavily advocated for withdrawal and has received significant funding from pro-Israel donors. One might query if those who profited from prolonged instability 'badly' wanted the deal to fail, more than Iran wished for its return. How many times must Washington destabilize a region before the media questions the narrative?