Clinton's Continued Support and Trump's Renewed Criticism of the Nuclear Deal with Iran

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency, recently criticized the nuclear deal and the lifting of sanctions on Iran while discussing his defense approach if he wins the presidential election. Simultaneously, Hillary Clinton, during her speech, expressed support for the agreement reached between Iran and six world powers. The Republican candidate stated on his campaign Twitter account that the funds resulting from the 'lifting of sanctions on Iran by Clinton-Obama will likely reach terrorists.' Trump's remarks seemingly refer to the period when Hillary Clinton, his main Democratic rival in the election, served as Secretary of State under Barack Obama. The nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers was concluded last year during John Kerry's tenure as Secretary of State. Clinton is considered a supporter of the nuclear agreement with Iran. Clinton herself has stated that Iran was 'on a fast track' to acquire nuclear weapons and that the nuclear deal blocked the path to this weapon. Tehran has consistently denied allegations regarding its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. In his speech on national security and U.S. military affairs on September 8, Trump stated, 'Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism, is now flush with money that has been released by the U.S.' Tehran has rejected the accusations made by Washington regarding its support for terrorism. These accusations have kept part of the U.S. sanctions against Iran in place. The Republican candidate claimed that the United States has given Iran $150 billion, a figure that has been criticized by various government officials and nuclear negotiators. The New York Times, which is aligned with the Democrats in election campaigns, reports that analysts consider this figure to be the maximum total value of all U.S. seizures or confiscations against Iran, which does not even reach $150 billion but is likely around $100 billion. Trump also criticized the payment of $1.7 billion resulting from a suspended military contract with Iran and its interest over the past four decades, describing it as 'ransom,' a view shared by many Republicans. The U.S. government has emphatically rejected these accusations, with the President stating that the payment of the suspended contract and its interest was made after consulting with legal experts to prevent increasing penalties against Iran. However, some government officials have stated that this money was not paid until American prisoners in Iran were released. The Democratic candidate also stated in her speech regarding U.S. military and national security that the United States has not been 'played' by Iran. According to her, the agreement provides sufficient tools to ensure Iran's compliance. Trump presented a 'new' military approach. The Republican candidate in the presidential election, in his remarks on Wednesday, stated that if he wins the election, he will increase military capabilities and make changes to the U.S. military budget. On September 8, he said, 'As soon as I take office, I will ask Congress to remove defense cuts (in the budget) and present a new budget for rebuilding military forces.' He proposed increasing the number of soldiers or expanding the naval forces to 350 ships. Trump claims he will fund this through the removal of existing 'cuts' in the budget that have led to a reduction in military spending. Trump has promised to 'rebuild' the U.S. military, stating, 'This will create more confidence in the military community and allow military commanders to address their future needs.' The Republican candidate has also promised to increase the capacity of the Navy and Marine Corps. According to Trump, the current number of ships is the lowest since World War I. Critics argue that the Republican candidate has not considered the military capabilities of a warship in the 21st century compared to warships in the early last century. He also stated that he wants military commanders to present a plan within 30 days to destroy the group known as the Islamic State, and the U.S. will prioritize increasing offensive and defensive capabilities in cyberspace. Trump's new approaches have generally been described by media close to the Democrats as a shift in perspective; the New York billionaire, who participated in the primaries with slogans like 'America First,' was known as someone who called for reducing U.S. military presence in organizations like NATO or decreasing military aid from Washington to its allies. The Washington Post notes that this 'sharp return' from the previously stated military approach will likely lead to greater satisfaction among Republican lawmakers in Congress, who were concerned that Trump's election might lead the U.S. to withdraw from its international commitments regarding military issues.