Prominent Saudi Prince: Trump Should Not Abrogate Nuclear Deal with Iran

Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former senior official in the Saudi government, stated that Donald Trump should not cancel the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, but should hold Iran accountable for 'instability in the Middle East.' In a speech at a research center in Washington, he emphasized that Trump should not abrogate the nuclear deal with Iran. The prominent Saudi prince explained that 'years have been spent on this agreement, and the public perception, not just in the U.S. but globally, is that this agreement has achieved its goal of halting Iran's nuclear weapons program for 15 years.' He added, 'Abrogating this agreement hastily would have complex consequences. I do not know if there is anything else to contain Iran's nuclear program in the event of its cancellation.' Turki al-Faisal elaborated that, in his view, this agreement should be a starting point for a long-term and permanent plan 'aimed at preventing the development and proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction throughout the Middle East.' Reuters noted that Prince Turki al-Faisal currently holds no position in the Saudi government and emphasized that these remarks are his personal views. However, many believe that Turki al-Faisal's views reflect the opinions of senior Saudi officials, particularly decision-makers in the country's foreign policy. He also expressed that the Trump administration should warn Iran about its 'adventurous and destabilizing policies' in the region. He added, 'I hope President Trump can direct public opinion and his government's actions towards challenging the Iranian regime's view that it has the right to interfere in any country.' Gulf Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia, were concerned about the nuclear agreement with the U.S. and warned that this agreement would embolden the Iranian regime to expand its influence and hegemony in the region by supporting affiliated groups and exacerbating regional conflicts. Reuters recalled that Donald Trump had made various comments about the nuclear agreement with Iran during his election campaign, and it remains unclear what policy he will adopt regarding it after entering the White House. However, his advisors suggest that the President-elect is not seeking to cancel the JCPOA but is looking for some form of renegotiation regarding the guarantees outlined in the agreement. Iranian officials have emphasized that the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers is a multilateral and logical agreement that adherence to it would benefit all parties involved.