ANALYSIS: Iran and the ‘JCPOA 2.0’ conundrum
- Lorraine Anne Spataro
- Apr 12, 2018
- 1 min read
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to his supporters during his visit to Mashhad on March 21, 2018. (AP)
In Iran the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, is known as “barjam.” Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself once said he only signed the JCPOA, or Barjam, after the Sultan of Oman convinced him.
To save face and wash his hands of any possible mayday calls in the future, Khamenei said he was certain that talks with the United States would be useless, yet went ahead to show good faith (read, “We had no other choice.”)
In a recent interview, however, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says Khamenei personally supervised and green-lighted the negotiations team’s each and every move.
As all factions in Iran’s political canvas aim to safeguard the regime’s ultimate interest, the remarks made by Araqchi seek a specific objective: preparing the entire regime apparatus for “Barjam 2.0,” specifically targeting Iran’s ballistic missile ambitions and Middle East meddling.
The abovementioned issues gain further importance following Saturday night’s horrific chemical attack staged allegedly by forces loyal to Syrian dictator Bashar Assad – strongly supported by Tehran – against Douma of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, leaving over 190 people killed and 1,000 injured.
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