For most of our lives, we have seen the hardship occurring in the Middle East, not only for its residents, but also the strife between our government and the leadership of many countries in that area of the world. To the everyday citizen, it is often difficult to keep up with the constant changes and new battles that occur there every week, month, and year. There is also a sense that our news sources might be swayed or skipping important steps. Without having understood past issues it is often difficult to pick up where they left off and understand the new ones. In the past week or so, the U.S. has struck a deal with Iran in order to help cease their nuclear program and end our sanctions against them.
Ever since 1979, during a revolution that resulted in the end of a U.S. ally’s reign and a U.S. embassy hostage crisis, the White House has ceased diplomatic relations with Iran. When President Obama was elected, he hinted at the promise of starting a dialogue between the two countries for the first time in about thirty years. This past June, Hassan Rouhani won the Iranian election, and was determined to end many of the sanctions the U.S. had placed on the country. The picture below shows the first phone call between the two leaders in years. A deal was reached in Geneva on Saturday, but what exactly does this deal entail?
The agreement signed by the U.S., France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia, slows Iran’s ability to create a nuclear weapon in exchange for a lifting of some of the previous sanctions, many relating to the sale/trade of oil, that have hurt Iran’s economy. In order to slow the nuclear process, the deal asks that Iran not enrich their uranium to over 5%. A nuclear weapon requires 90% enriched plutonium. Iran is also unable to create new centrifuges or build new sites for the program. Many members of congress as well as the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Israel don’t approve of the deal, citing their belief that Iran could still make a weapon under these restrictions.
It is difficult to say who is right in these situations, because it often seems as though no one person has the full scope of information needed to truly understand. It is hopeful that diplomatic relations are being continued, and maybe one day we will not have to struggle to keep up with all that is happening in the world around us and we will have complete cultural understanding and peace.
Sources: http://www.buzzfeed.com/alison…