Monday, August 14, 2023

Are nukes more critical than money or hostages in Iran deal? - analysis

There are more questions than answers presented by developments since Thursday between Iran and the West toward some kind of deal reducing tensions in the nuclear standoff.

The clearest details regard the process to release five Americans who the Islamic Republic has held hostage as well as the process to release billions of dollars of Iranian funds frozen in South Korea to Tehran.

Much of the heightened media attention surrounds the five Americans being transferred to house arrest and whether they will be freed entirely or how the frozen funds in South Korea are being unfrozen, how they will reach Qatari banks, and whether there are sufficient guarantees in place to prevent the funds being used for terrorism.


America will also keep a very close eye on whether the ayatollahs continue to prevent their proxies from attacking US troops in the Middle East. The EU will hope it can get them to stop actively helping Russia in its war with Ukraine.

What will happen with Iran's nuclear enrichment program?

But the most critical aspect of the deal for Israel is what is happening regarding Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. Here, the story is dangerously unclear. READ MORE