Analyst:

Trump thinks he can negotiate everything, his threats a bluff

Rasa - US President Donald Trump is “under the illusion” that he can negotiate everything including the Iranian nuclear deal, says Alexander Azadgan, professor of Strategic Global Management based in California.

News ID: 437345

Date: 25 April 2018 - 23:12

RNA - “All these threats are in my opinion a bluff, nevertheless the US coming out of the JCPOA is a serious serious matter, and if in fact he [Trump] does that, that leaves a lot of pressure on the Europeans,” the senior geopolitical analyst told on Wednesday.

Azadgan said the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is a crucial moment for European foreign policy in the sense that the Europeans have to decide to follow the US as usual, “or for the first time, perhaps decide to implement their own foreign policy independent of Washington and NATO.”

“So the bulk of the weight is on Germany, France and the UK who are the key signatories from Europe.”

A new game in town

Azadgan said the US is a declining force in the Middle East region and Russia and China are playing evermore important roles.

“Even the Saudis are turning towards Russia and China which I believe is a new game in town.”

We have to recognize there is also a new game in town in Washington, he said. The appointment of John Bolton and Mike Pompeo as two notorious hawks could change equations in the Middle East and actually play into the hands of Iran’s conservatives who have always emphasized that Iran has made too many compromises and concessions, hence would welcome Washington leaving the nuclear deal with Tehran.

Rouhani and Trump trade warnings

Trump has repeatedly threatened to pull out of the historical 2015 JCPOA agreement, which was struck between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries, including the US.

On Tuesday Trump called on Iran not to restart its nuclear program, shortly after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned Washington against violating the 2015 nuclear deal, saying any failure to respect the multinational agreement would entail “grave consequences.”

Trump made the comments at a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron who came to Washington, DC, to save the nuclear deal between six world powers and Iran.

The deal removed nuclear-related sanctions against Tehran, which, in turn, changed some aspects of its nuclear energy program. All other signatories have warned the US against quitting the deal.

Trump has said unless the European parties “fix the terrible flaws” of the accord by May 12, Washington would withdraw from the deal. Iran has ruled out any renegotiation.

Source: Press TV

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