Getting Tough With Iran

You may have noticed the president’s recent tweets about Iran.

To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif responded.

COLOR US UNIMPRESSED: The world heard even harsher bluster a few months ago. And Iranians have heard them —albeit more civilized ones—for 40 yrs. We've been around for millennia & seen fall of empires, incl our own, which lasted more than the life of some countries. BE CAUTIOUS!

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) July 23, 2018

These broadsides follow America’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, which has left many observers and analysts wondering whether the agreement can survive without support from the U.S. The Trump administration will reimpose sanctions on Iran within the next two weeks.

CNN points out that the president used “similarly heated rhetoric when responding to threats and missile tests by North Korea last year.”

But on Tuesday, the president told the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars that he’s “ready to make a real deal” with Iran, according to the Associated Press.

Is Trump employing the same strategy? What would a deal look like between his administration and the Iranian government?

Produced by Jonquilyn Hill.

GUESTS

Jarrett Blanc, Geoeconomics and Strategy Program senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; @JarrettBlanc

Robin Wright, Analyst and fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center; author of “Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World”; contributing writer to The New Yorker; @wrightr

For more, visit https://the1a.org.

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