Rex Tillerson to Conduct a 'Complete Review' of the Nuclear Agreement with Iran

Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of State, stated during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee Q&A session that Iran and North Korea pose significant threats to the world. The session on Wednesday, January 11, was held to assess the qualifications of the 64-year-old Tillerson as the top diplomat of the new U.S. administration. According to Reuters, he mentioned that he would conduct a 'complete review' of the nuclear agreement with Iran, which has faced severe criticism from congressional Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump, but he did not request that the agreement be rejected. The agreement was reached in July of last year in Vienna between Iran and the U.S., Russia, China, France, and the UK along with Germany, under which Iran agreed to suspend many of its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions against Tehran. Donald Trump, during his election campaign, referred to the nuclear deal with Iran as 'the worst deal ever' and stated that he would 'tear it up' if elected. However, Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on January 7 that 'I don’t think this agreement is going to be torn up, but there will be strict oversight of this international agreement.' Tillerson, who previously served as CEO of ExxonMobil, expressed his views on global crises and issues on the agenda at the beginning of the Foreign Relations Committee meeting. He stated that radical Islam is not a new ideology but a hateful, deadly, and illegitimate narrative of Islam. Enemies like Iran and North Korea are significant threats to the world because they refuse to comply with international norms. The proposed Secretary of State emphasized that 'our most important specific action to defeat radical Islam is to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS). The Middle East and surrounding areas are the source of many challenges that require our attention, especially regarding Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.' Eliminating the Islamic State also allows us to focus more on other radical Islamic factors such as Al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, and specific elements within Iran. Tillerson stated, 'The destruction of ISIS must be the first step in eliminating the capabilities of other groups and individuals seeking to attack our country and our allies. The elimination of the Islamic State also allows us to focus more on other radical Islamic factors such as Al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, and specific elements within Iran.' He clarified, 'But defeating this group will not only happen on the battlefield; we must win the war of ideas. If I am confirmed, I assure you that the State Department will do its part in supporting Muslims around the world who reject radical Islam in all its forms.' He said, 'When faced with these realities, what should America's response be? My answer is simple. To establish stability, which is vital for peace and security in the 21st century, American leadership must not only be restored but proven.' The proposed Secretary of State for Trump stated, 'It is clear that we are the only global superpower with the tools and moral direction capable of shaping the world for a better future. If we do not lead the world, we risk plunging it into deeper ambiguity and danger. But our leadership has slipped.' He emphasized, 'We must hold accountable those countries that are not our friends for the agreements they have signed. Our failure in this regard over the past decades has diminished our power and encouraged bad actors around the world to break their promises. We cannot ignore violations of international agreements as we have done with Iran. We cannot accept empty promises like those China made regarding pressuring North Korea for reforms.' Other points from the preliminary speech of the proposed Secretary of State included: - We must defend America's leadership in the world. Preventing wars is essential. We have slipped in our leadership of the world. - Some of America's actions have caused instability. America's NATO allies are right to be concerned about Russia. - China is not a reliable partner regarding North Korea. - The U.S. has not asked Cuba to be accountable for human rights. - Russia, while seeking respect and status on the global stage, has recently acted in ways that disregard American interests.