Obama Expresses Hope for Trump's Attention to the 'Realities' of the Nuclear Agreement

The President of the United States expresses hope that with the beginning of Donald Trump's presidency, he and the Republicans in Congress will pay attention to the 'realities' of the nuclear agreement, recognizing its effectiveness and adhering to it. On November 15, Barack Obama stated, 'I suspect that when the elected president begins his work and consults with his Republican friends in Congress, he will not insist much on canceling the nuclear agreement: 'Because explaining the reasons for canceling an effective agreement that prevents Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons will be difficult. Especially since the alternative is to free Iran from its commitments and lead it toward acquiring nuclear weapons.' During his electoral campaign against Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump had stated that if he won the election, he would cancel the nuclear agreement, unlike his Democratic rival. Since his election victory, Trump has not made any specific comments regarding the future of this agreement signed between Tehran, the United States, and five other global powers. Nevertheless, some of America's allies, including the European Union and European countries, have expressed concern about its potential cancellation as long as compliance with commitments continues. The foreign ministers of EU member states reiterated their support for this agreement on Monday, which has also been welcomed by Tehran. Barack Obama now states that it is difficult to dismantle something that is currently operational and effective. According to the President of the United States, 'Probably when you are not directly responsible [for the negotiations], you can say the agreement was terrible, but when you are responsible for its formation and for preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, you are more likely to pay attention to the realities.' CNN quoted Mark Dubowitz from the 'Foundation for Defense of Democracies,' a conservative think tank critical of the nuclear agreement, stating that Trump will likely adhere to the agreement but will reinstate sanctions if Tehran commits any violations, no matter how minor. The agreement between Tehran and six global powers was reached following Hassan Rouhani's rise to power after extensive sanctions were imposed on Iran in previous years. Barack Obama has described this agreement as 'historic,' but all Republican representatives in Congress opposed or criticized it.