Page 7 - MEOG Week 38

MEOG POLICY MEOG

Iran says nuclear

deal worth saving

IRAN THE head of Iran’s nuclear agency has said that developing a nuclear weapons programme.
the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world Since the US pulling out in 2018, Iran has
powers is struggling since the US pulled out steadily been reneging on the agreement in
under President Donald Trump in 2018, IRNA incremental phases but making sure not to irk
reported on September 21. the current signatories to the deal by increasing
Recent developments of the US trying to enrichment capacity.
enact so-called “snap-back” United Nations Salehi, speaking via media link, said it was of
sanctions on Iran for reneging on the agreement utmost importance that the remaining signato-
have been met with scorn following the US pull- ries find a resolution to resolve “the difficulties
ing out of the deal and no longer being a signa- caused by the illegal withdrawal of the US from
tory. Iranian officials have ridiculed both the US the deal.”
president and foreign minister for trying to push “There is still a broad agreement among the
for new sanctions, while Europe has said it is international community that the JCPOA should
worth keeping making sure Iran is kept in check. be preserved,” he said.
Ali Akbar Salehi to members of the Interna- Salehi’s comments were followed by the US’
tional Atomic Energy Agency that the so-called member of the IAEA, who said: “On top of its
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) horrific record as the world’s largest state spon-
has been caught in a quasi-stalemate situation” sor of terrorism, Iran has a lamentable history of
due to US intransigence. providing only grudging, dilatory, and incom-
The deal originally allowed Iran modest plete cooperation, if at all, with the IAEA. Iran
access to international markets and a return of must do more, much more, to ensure both timely
its assets, including payment by former US Pres- and complete compliance with the safeguards
ident Barack Obama of $400mn in cash for not obligations.”™

Turkey takes assertive

role in Caucasus conflict

TURKEY TURKEY’S full-throttled support for Azerbaijan diplomatic visits and carried out expanded joint
during recent hostilities with Armenia reflects a military exercises.
larger drive by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Erdogan’s rhetoric has also been harsher than
to assert his country’s influence in its sprawling in the past. He has called Armenia “an invader”
neighbourhood. and vowed that its actions would not go unan-
In recent years, Erdogan has undertaken a swered. In a veiled swipe at Russia, he claimed
more aggressive foreign policy across the Mid- the attack “was beyond Armenia’s calibre.”
dle East, north Africa and the eastern Mediter- Azerbaijan has been a Turkish ally since gain-
ranean, frustrating Turkey’s traditional Western ing independence with the collapse of the Soviet
allies. Many of these moves have put it at odds Union. The two countries share ethnic and lin-
with Russia. guistic ties, and officials from both frequently
The outbreak of fighting in July between recite the refrain that they are “one people, two
Armenia and Azerbaijan has added the South states.”
Caucasus to the expanding geography of Tur- Still, Ankara’s support for Baku had been
key’s self-assigned strategic backyard—and fur- tempered by its view of the South Caucasus as
ther raised the potential for tension with Russia, Russia’s sphere of influence.
which has a mutual defence treaty with Armenia. Turkish officials have implied that the
Following the clashes—the heaviest fighting July fighting, which took place on the border
between the two former Soviet republics since between Armenia’s Tavush and Azerbaijan’s
2016—Turkey has taken an unusually assertive Tovuz regions, threaten a key Azerbaijani trans-
posture in the region to back its ally, Azerbaijan. portation and energy corridor with Turkey.
It offered to supply it with weapons, and the two Energy is a cornerstone of the relationship.
sides have held several high-level military and Azerbaijan supplies Turkey with nearly a fifth

Week 38 23•September•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P7