By Katrina Bushko –
Late last month, the P5+1 group (US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) struck a historic preliminary deal with Iran on its nuclear program. For the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and overthrow of the Shah, Iran and the West have left the negotiating table on a positive note. But why is this agreement such a big deal, and what are the implications for the United States? Let’s break this issue up into more digestible pieces.
What exactly is the Iranian nuclear deal?
In a nutshell, the Iranian nuclear deal is a mere preliminary agreement that anticipates a more formal agreement to be reached after a six-month trial period. In exchange for Iran diluting its uranium stockpile to 20% enrichment, halting enrichment over 5%, and cutting back on the construction of enrichment mechanisms and facilities, the P5+1 countries have promised to provide “limited, temporary, targeted, and reversible relief to Iran” by lifting current economic sanctions and not administering any new sanctions. Iran stands to gain $7 billion in revenue with this preliminary deal, and the world will likely become more stable with a cap on this nuclear program.
What are implications for the US?
Although breaking the nuclear deadlock with Iran may seem like a victory for the US, this deal may have complicated our foreign relations. For example, Israel, a major US ally, has vocalized its adamant opposition to the deal: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described it as a “historic mistake” that allows Iran to take “only cosmetic steps which it could reverse easily within a few weeks, and in return, sanctions that took years to put in place are going to be eased.”
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is unhappy with the agreement, as the majority Sunni country is wary of growing Iranian Shiite power in the Middle East. Although less outspoken than Israel, Saudi Arabia has expressed increasing disappointment with the United States, and the Iranian nuclear deal frustration closely follows the Saudis rejection of its seat on the UN Security Council in October.
What’s the big deal?
So why should we care about this preliminary nuclear deal with Iran at all? While we haven’t stopped Iran from weapons production altogether, this is an important step in repairing the relations we once had with Iran. If this six-month agreement transpires without a hitch, then another, more permanent one, can be formed—which means the US stands a chance of opening the diplomatic door even wider. As a result, not only will trade between the two countries increase, but also diplomacy (like the opening of an embassy) could resume and create more Foreign Service jobs. So instead of Chinese, maybe we better all start learning Farsi!
For more information on the deal, see CNN’s “20 questions about the Iran nuclear deal” and the Washington Post’s “After Iran nuclear deal, tough challenges ahead” articles.