US: Nearly five decades ago, I admired the Iranian landscape from the daylight flight to London before landing in Tehran to refuel. The world’s 18th-largest country by population and 27th-largest economy is the cradle of civilisation; boasting high mountains, huge deserts, 10 per cent of the world’s oil and 15 per cent of its gas. It should be a superpower.
This is why the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed with the European Union, China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and the US, was so important. Their combined sanctions had brought Iran to the table; Iranian oil exports at the end of 2011 were 2.5 million barrels per day, in 2014, just over 1 million.
The deal was not perfect, merely delaying the potential for Iran to attack Tel Aviv. A delay is better than nothing, bearing in mind that Saudi Arabia has promised to become nuclear-capable if Iran does.
Any sanctions by US President Donald Trump won’t stop Iran from having nuclear weapons either, so it is difficult to see who the winners are from his withdrawal from the 2015 pact.
