Israel: The Iranian Government Will Be a Main Topic on Donald Trump's Agenda

Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, stated on Tuesday, January 22, that the Islamic Republic of Iran will be a primary focus on the agenda of Donald Trump, the new President of the United States. According to the Times of Israel, Herzog, speaking on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, added that the Iranian government will soon be a central topic for Trump and must be discussed and examined. The Israeli President said that the Islamic Republic of Iran cannot and should not have nuclear capabilities and must cease its support for proxy groups and the axis of evil. He noted that the Tehran regime 'is currently active day and night and is hastily planning to acquire a nuclear bomb, as well as planning terrorist attacks in the region and around the world.' Previously, Marco Rubio, the new U.S. Secretary of State, emphasized during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on January 16 that 'the Iranian government is in its weakest state possible; they were forced to leave Syria, their economy is shattered, and they experience daily power outages.' He added that any concessions made to the Islamic Republic would be used to expand its nuclear program and create tensions in the Middle East. Senator James Risch stated that Marco Rubio knows that maximum pressure must be applied to the criminal regime of Iran. Rubio also stated that 'under no circumstances should we allow the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue destabilizing the region and pursuing its nuclear program,' and added, 'by next October, the three powers of Germany, Britain, and France must decide whether to activate the trigger mechanism or not.' Rubio announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran has not adhered to its agreements based on evidence, stating, 'We must not allow Iran to have nuclear capabilities under any circumstances and must not let the Islamic Republic possess military power to threaten its neighbors and pursue its long-term goals.' He emphasized that any concessions made to the Iranian regime would aid in their continued support for proxy groups and their transformation into a dominant power in the region. Rubio added that there are two mindsets within the Iranian regime; one is that the situation is dire and time must be bought, and the other is that reliance on nuclear power is necessary, enriching uranium from 60% to 90% to gain immunity from any foreign action. In this context, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, recently warned that accelerating the Iranian government's nuclear program brings us 'very close to an irreversible point.' In response, the Islamic Republic described the French President's remarks as 'baseless' and 'deceptive.' Last December, Britain, Germany, and France, referred to as the European Troika, accused the Iranian government of increasing its enriched uranium reserves to 'unprecedented levels' without providing 'any credible civilian justification' for this action. These three powerful U.S. allies in Europe emphasized that 'we reaffirm our determination to use all diplomatic tools to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, including the use of the trigger mechanism if necessary.' The trigger mechanism, part of the 2015 agreement or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), allows signatories to re-impose United Nations sanctions on the Islamic Republic if there is 'significant non-compliance with commitments.' The option to activate this mechanism expires in October of this year, adding urgency to ongoing diplomatic efforts.