Ever since the Shah of Iran was overthrown in 1979, the equation between Iran and America does not exist. Americans have not forgotten the hundreds of embassy personnel taken hostage by Iranian militia from the US embassy in Tehran. Despite not having any diplomatic relations, President Obama was keen to ensure that Tehran did not develop nuclear weapons, so in his wisdom, he negotiated the nuclear deal.
Trump has all along claimed the deal was seriously flawed, and his latest move to impose fresh sanctions on the regime has angered the Iranians.
The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has now warned the USA that Tehran could restart its nuclear program. He has claimed that the program could be started “within hours" as reported by Al Jazeera.
Rouhani's threat
The Iranian president Rouhani is generally considered a moderate within the Iranian ruling establishment, but he also has to show that he can stand up to America. The president went on to add that in case Washinton continues its policy of "threats and sanctions," the Iranians will have no option but to once again get going on their nuclear program they had suspended two years back.
He has claimed that despite a gap of two years, the Iranian nuclear program will be much more advanced than the earlier program abandoned in 2015.
The nuclear deal was Obama's major diplomatic feat, but his successor Donald Trump attacked the deal during his election campaign. Once ensconced as president, he has not annulled the deal but has imposed fresh sanctions and accused Iranian leadership of “bad faith."
America and Iran
In response to Trump, the Iranian parliament has already upped the military budget by $800 million and the bill was passed in the Iranian parliament amid shouts of “death to America.” This shows the level of animosity between the USA and Iran.
Militarily, Iran is not a match for the USA, but it is backed by Russia. This has queered the pitch for the US, and many incidents have taken place between the Iranian and US navies. Iran has threatened to send warships to the Atlantic, but this is all bravado because the Iranian navy does not have the capability to operate far from its coast line.
Yet, such statements show that Iran, since the fall of the Shah, harbors a deep hatred for America. President Reagan had labeled Iran as part of “the axis of evil” but he and the presidents after him have done little to stop the belligerence of Iran. The country is one of the biggest destabilizing forces in the Middle East.
