IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAMME 2021

To:     The Right Hon. American President Mr. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.

From: Athinarayanan Sanjeevraja

Date: March 8, 2021

RE:    Iranian Nuclear Programme 2021

Suggestion:

Hon. President, Congratulation on your election as the 46^th President of the United States of America. I have since observed you as the Vice President of the United States of America under Mr. Barack Obama administration about your core values, leadership acumen skills and utterly pragmatic in action. The United States of America need extreme degree of great leadership in the US foreign policy as great leadership plays a great role to translate the problems into solutions. You need to turn the perception that you understand and have solutions to the problems. In addition, you need a strong data-driven approach to identifying and solving problems that will help not only the US citizen’s confidence but the world confidence. So far it is a top down approach in the US foreign policy. I fervently hope that your administration will identify the problems of the past President Mr. Trump foreign policy and trust will be restoring the confidence of the United States of America. Good luck to you and to the United States of America.       

Hon. President, let me start paying my respects to you and through you to. Iranian nuclear programme is the opportunity of the year 2021. JCPOA signatories like the US, China, France, United Kingdom, Germany. Russia and the EU must have the generosity to foster peace and prosperity and not threaten sanctions or military forces, be it Iran or Afghanistan or Yemen or Syria or Venezuela or Russia or North Korea or Central African Republic (C.A.R) or Cuba or Cyprus or Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea or any other nations. I strongly oppose sanctions on Iran because it hurts the people of Iran. Your good government needs to understand that sanctions and military forces have hurt the nation and its people. We must profound peace and non-violence among the world community through diplomatic dialogue and strong strategic approach in negotiations. We should try treating Iran a regular country instead of enemy as Iran wasn’t walked away from the JCPOA and breaking a treaty. Thus, I request your good government to lift sanctions unilaterally at least some sanctions like food and medicine on humanitarian grounds. JCPOA signatories like the US, China, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and the EU should give a human face to Iran. Iranian government wants to remove the sanctions on international trade so that they will return to compliance. In other words, Iran to be treated like any other nation in the world is Iranian government ultimate goal and with a reasonable opportunity to freely trade with other nations. That means Iranian oil should be received by the international customers and the trade transaction sent to Iran through their banking system. This would reduce tensions, curbs on their nuclear programme, increased economic development & foreign direct investment and bringing Iran into the international community.

Hon. President, you need to have a solid backup plan and defining some aims and ideological strategy for Iran nuclear programme so that you can achieve it. Otherwise, it is hard to indicate short term action on Iran nuclear programme. If Iran accepts your invitation to talk about its nuclear programme, the essence of agreement should prevent or deterrent nuclear Iran. Agreement must include dismantling of Iran’s military centrifuge centers, Iranian assent to a verifiable end to its support of terrorist proxies, and guaranteed Iran's stability and security. Mr. Obama nuclear deal with Iran was the absence of missiles provisions that law should include ammunition limits but verification was one of the strong points in Mr. Obama agreement. Mr. Obama knew that Senate would never have enough votes because of that JCPOA was never presented to the Senate fro ratification and was never ratified as a treaty in Mr. Obama agreement. If your government simply restoring the Mr. Obama agreement that was insufficient. Because Mr. Obama agreement concluded by his own constitutional authority without Senate approval. If I am not mistaken, Article II of the US law only grants the US President Authority to negotiate treaties which must be ratified by the Senate before they become law. Article II does not provide the US President with the power to enter into any other type of legally binding agreement. Article III grants US court’s jurisdiction over cases arising over treaties. If your government succeeded in correcting Mr. Obama agreement is good. You should well know the difference between the US legislature and the US President power before signing the US-Iran nuclear agreement.  

Hon. President, your government must ensure that the US and Iran must bound by the terms of the US - Iran nuclear agreement. Mr. Trump administration acted like dishonorable traitors in tearing up a US–Iran nuclear agreement that was working to limit Iran’s nuclear programme. Your government must follow the international law and getting international treaty ratified in the Senate so that any future US President should not be reversed it. The US and Iran nuclear agreement should be passed by the US Senate then only agreement will be valid as per the US law. Otherwise it is only an agreement between your administration and Iran, any future President reversed it. The US-Iran agreement should be enshrined by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties or any treaties outlining the customary international law of treaties. Iran should allow the inspections under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This would succeed in bringing permanent solution for Iran Nuclear Programme and make the Iran safer for long-term. Senate approved agreement accomplishes something and the effort will be worth it. Otherwise, any future US President reversed US-Iran nuclear agreement, it will bring again crisis. 

Hon. President, first your administration should return to the original JCPOA that looks like power play for you. Iran Nuclear Programme requires approval of the JCPOA signatories like the US, China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, Germany and the EU signatories. Thus, your good government would be working with the members of the JCPOA and has to convince the members of JCPOA to engage commercially with Iran. If I am not mistaken, Iran never intended to develop nuclear arsenals, it was because Israel has possessed nuclear arsenals thereby posing a threat to Iran’s national security. Israel is the only country in the Middle East with nuclear arsenals. If I am not wrong, Iranian government has held many international conferences calling for the Middle East to be nuclear free. Iran has un-match worldwide energy. Institute of Energy report says “Iran energy reserves oil approximately 11 percent of the world reserve, gas reserves approximately 18 percent of world capacity and has enough sun to generate solar power 300 days per year”. Iran doesn’t need nuclear energy at all. The threat to Iran’s sovereignty remains paramount with nuclear armed neighbours Israel. Thus, the US-Iran nuclear agreement must guaranteed Iran's stability and security.  

Hon. President, the primary foreign policy objectives are improved relationship and coordination with the other nations. Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) calls for all nuclear nations including the US to reduce their own nuclear arsenals. The biggest problem of Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is that it allows the members to maintain their strategic military advantage with regard to potential opponents. It is a million dollar question that how will small nation like Iran who is seeking greater role in international affairs attain a level playing field. Nuclear nations must put themselves on the same level playing field because level playing field and mutual assurances only develop long-term peace. Iran may vulnerable to nuclear strikes by nations like Israel who are nuclear armed. Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons fundamental problems must be remedied until then we will continue to see emerging nuclear nations pushing the limits defying the status quo either openly or through subterfuge. IMHO, upgrading the nuclear arsenals or nuclear forces and nuclear development has obvious threat of using nuclear weapons. Thus, nuclear nations should have a legitimate interest in deterring nuclear arsenals or nuclear forces and nuclear development. Deterring nuclear development must be across the nations including the US, UK, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia, China and Iran. Deterrence is not a one side, it must be both side so that it create nuclear balance which is sustainable. If the deterrence is not both side it will create nuclear imbalance which is unsustainable. There is a lot of work to be done. The contrast between the US unilaterally deciding to upgrade the US nuclear arsenals and nuclear forces while at the same time putting all possible pressure on Iran to keep it from having any nuclear weapons instructive on the use of power. We cannot have hegemony by suppression of the rights of other nuclear nations. It would be great if your government would cancel the costly upgrading of the US nuclear forces that was proposed by Mr. Obama administration. Your good government would reassert itself for the rule based international system and lead by example for other nuclear nations. I hope that your administration resolving an issue by using diplomatic dialogue and strong strategic approach in negotiations with Iran rather than expensive of wars. Any nuclear nation that attempt to launch a nuclear attack against other nuclear nation would instantly become a global pariah. Let me conclude that nuclear nations including the US and Iran must put themselves on the same level playing field and requires a deterrent capacity of the US and Iran that would make the world safer.  I fervently hope that your administration should do everything to protect Iran’s interest so that you can win over the common Iranians. 

Thanking you.

With most amicable regards,

Athinarayanan Sanjeevraja.

Athinarayanan Advisory Services Since 2009

 

Copy to JCPOA signatories

European Commission President Hon. Ursula von der Leyen

German Chancellor Hon. Angela Merkel

United Kingdom Prime Minister Hon. Boris Johnson

France President Hon. Emmanuel Macron

China President Hon. Xi Jinping,

Russian President Hon. Vladimir Putin

Iran President Hon. Hassan Rouhani,