On May 8, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement and re-impose sanctions on Tehran. The decision was met with disappointment among the European allies who had partnered with the U.S. in the Iran deal, who fear the possibility of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
It is significant that President Trump fulfilled one of his campaign promises concerning the Obama engineered Iran nuclear deal, explaining that he believes the whole structure of the deal to be “decayed and rotten.” In his speech at the White House Mr. Trump stated that the 2015 agreement “does not block Iran from developing nuclear weapons, [so the] Iran deal is defective at its core.”
Predictably, the president’s announcement was met with anger and rage from Tehran. Speaking on Iranian television after Mr. Trump’s announcement, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani declared: “I have ordered Iran’s atomic organization that whenever it is needed, we will start enriching uranium more than before.”
As one who has closely followed the shifting sands of Iran’s political landscape over the past forty years, I am convinced that President Trump has made the right decision in pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.
It is important to understand how the Islamic regime of Iran’s Ayatollahs thinks, strategizes and reacts in such situations. The regime in Tehran is well known among population of Iran for its entrenched corruption and penchant for lies and deceit. It is certain that those in control will not cut a deal with anyone unless it is of benefit to them and their agenda. Thus, those who deal with them must be shrewd and wise in understanding and dealing with the Tehran ruling cabal. As U.S. Senator James Inhofe put it, “We need concrete changes that would include anytime, anywhere inspections of non-declared sites, dismantling the development of advanced centrifuges, removal of all sunset provisions, addressing Iran’s ballistic missile program and halting of actions that create regional instability.”
It is also important to understand that Tehran has one purpose in pursuing the development of nuclear arms and military might, and that is to become, first and foremost, a dominant power in the Middle East. With such power in hand, Tehran’s intention would be to exert control over Islamic nations in the Middle East and beyond. Make no mistake: an Iran with nuclear capabilities would be able to dominate Saudi Arabia and the entire Sunni-Arab world.
This, of course, would be extremely dangerous, and the only way to stop Iran from developing such capabilities is to have a strong and resolute leader standing up to Tehran—a leader like President Donald Trump.
The imposed economic sanctions against Iran were working. Iran’s hardline radical Islamic regime was on the brink of collapse when President Obama came to its rescue, lifted the sanctions and aided Iran’s government to the tune of $150 billion.
With President Trump’s announced withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, sanctions will once again be imposed and tightened, essentially isolating Iran from the outside world.
Right now, Iran’s economy is in shambles, and its society is broken on every level—socially, economically and spiritually. President Trump’s decision offers an opportunity to bankrupt and destroy Iran’s current corrupt Islamic regime, end nearly four decades of Islamic dictatorship, and allow the Iranian people to have a chance at freedom.
One thing is certain: As Christians, it is imperative for us to keep the people of Iran before us in prayer. They have been subject to the oppression of Islamic dictatorship for far too long. Will you join me in praying for the future of this country and people so love by God?
A native of Iran, Reza Safa is a longtime U.S. pastor and founder of TBN Nejat TV, a 24-hour television outreach to Iran and the Middle East. For more information, log on to nejattv.org.
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