Washington, D.C. – The Jewish Policy Center expresses grave reservations over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed to by the United States, acting for the P5+1, and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran had three goals:
- The lifting of financial sanctions;
- The lifting of UN sanctions on military procurement; and
- The world’s acknowledgement of Iran’s right to enrich uranium under circumstances of inspections that are limited at best.
The agreement grants the Islamic Republic those goals. It does not provide for any of the initial goals of the P5+1:
- A halt to uranium enrichment;
- Destruction of a substantial portion of Iran’s centrifuges; and
- “Any time any where” inspection of military-related facilities.
Whether this is because the U.S. abandoned its goals or for some other reason, the deal hastens the decline of American influence in the region. It is dangerous to our country and to our allies and friends in the region. The President said in his statement, “We have stopped the spread of nuclear weapons in this region.” We have not. Far from providing for better arms control, the deal will encourage Sunni powers in the region – including Saudi Arabia and Egypt – to reconsider their own nuclear programs, shredding the international non-proliferation protocol. The region will become increasingly unstable.
Iran has done nothing to meet the terms of the UN resolutions that would entitle it to relief from UN sanctions. By signing this agreement, the United States and the Great Powers are legitimizing Iran’s nuclear program, providing it with funds to support terrorism around the globe, undermining the security of our allies, and encouraging additional Iranian aggression in such places as Iraq and Syria.
