British Prime Minister in America: The JCPOA is Effective, but Violations Must Be Addressed Immediately and Decisively

Theresa May, the British Prime Minister, defended the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA, during a gathering of Republican Party members in the United States on Thursday. She stated that the JCPOA has delayed Iran's access to nuclear weapons but emphasized that while protecting this agreement, any violations must be addressed promptly and decisively. In her remarks at the Republican Party meeting in Philadelphia, May noted that the Iran nuclear deal was controversial but had postponed Iran's ability to acquire nuclear weapons for a decade. She added that Iran has dismantled 13,000 centrifuges and lost its 20% enriched uranium. The British Prime Minister stressed that this agreement is vital for regional security but requires serious and precise oversight, with immediate and decisive action against any violations. While she defended the nuclear agreement with Iran in front of Republicans in the U.S., Donald Trump, the U.S. President, had previously called the JCPOA 'the worst deal I've ever seen' during his election campaign, stating he would renegotiate it if he came to power. In another part of her speech, May stated that Britain's priority in the Middle East is to counter Iran's 'malicious' influence in the region. She reiterated that this is also a priority of British policy, which is to support allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council and counter Iran's hostile efforts to expand its influence from Tehran to the Mediterranean Sea. Earlier in December, May had stated that Britain would help Gulf countries stand against Iran's actions in the region. Relations between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have been tense in recent years, especially with Saudi Arabia, which severed diplomatic ties with Tehran following attacks on its embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad. According to AFP, May referenced the cooperation between former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and former U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the Cold War in her speech. The British Prime Minister asserted that the two countries have a shared responsibility for leadership, as it is detrimental for both the U.S. and the UK, as well as the world, when others step forward and they step back. May added that such an approach does not mean returning to the failed policies of the past. The days when the U.S. and the UK intervened in other independent countries to shape the world as they envisioned are over. However, neither country can sit idly by and do nothing. The British Prime Minister called for the revival of the special relationship between London and Washington.