The agreement ends the conflict that began on February 28 with the American-Israeli attack on Iran and aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stabilize energy prices, the war having caused oil prices to rise.
But the conditions that were negotiated worry some Republican elected officials, who have bitter memories of the nuclear agreement concluded in 2015 with Iran by former Democratic President Barack Obama, considered too lax.
This time, it is in particular the prospect of a reduction in sanctions against Iran and a reconstruction fund of 300 billion dollars which worries them, especially since Washington has obtained no firm commitment concerning uranium enrichment or Tehran’s support for allied armed groups.
And if maritime traffic can resume freely in the Strait of Hormuz, it is only for a period of 60 days, after which Iran will apply “royalty fees” for services provided.
“Pire Raté”
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy called this agreement “the worst foreign policy failure in decades.”
“Before the war, the strait was open, Iran was crushed by sanctions and our 13 soldiers were still alive,” he continued. “Today, 13 Americans died, families paid billions at the pump, sanctions will be lifted and the bombings have stopped,” added the Louisiana senator, in reference to American soldiers killed during the conflict.
Trump stuck to his positions
Donald Trump, for his part, brushed aside the criticism, insults to back it up, presenting the text as the only way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil transited before the war. He also stressed that the agreement was not final, and warned that the United States could resume strikes if the negotiations, which must last 60 days, fail.
“It’s a framework of agreement, and if I don’t like it, we’ll start shooting at them again and dropping bombs on their heads,” said the Republican on Wednesday in Évian, France, where he was participating in the G7.
“These imbeciles, who think that I have not been tough enough with Iran, while the stock market has just reached a HISTORICAL RECORD and oil prices are falling, are either jealous, dishonest, or stupid,” he thundered this Thursday on his Truth Social network.
“Une erreur”
According to Republican Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the text is “totally out of step” with Donald Trump’s objectives, and the Iran reconstruction fund makes “the 2015 agreement concluded under Obama’s presidency” seem like something “paltry in comparison,†he said in a statement.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz urged Donald Trump to “not give them mountains of cash to allow them to rebuild and become a threat to the United States again.”
“I don’t want to see Islamists who want to kill us become more powerful. If this deal brings them $300 billion, it’s a mistake,” he said on his podcast.
Doubts
As for John Cornyn, a Texas senator, he fears that the agreement will be little more than an “interlude” which will allow Iran to reconstitute its arsenal and continue enriching uranium.
The leader of the Republican majority in the Senate, John Thune, was more cautious but said he needed answers to know whether the agreement addresses problems stemming from Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s ballistic missiles and its support for armed groups.
Other allies of Donald Trump called for patience. As for the Democrats, all opposed to the agreement, they affirm that the Republican launched into a costly conflict to finally accept a text which restores the status quo ante, even strengthens Tehran.
