Trump on Iran: ‘I have decided’ but his administration is in turmoil

President Trump told reporters Wednesday “I have decided,” repeating the words three times, when asked about his intentions regarding decertification of the Iran deal.

While the president may have decided, his administration is in turmoil over the deal, with a very public row between UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Tillerson wants to preserve the deal, while Haley wants to kill it. Tillerson is also a bit sensitive over what he perceives as Haley’s “auditioning for his job.”

Gen. John Hyuten, commander of USSTRATCOM, said that Iran is in technical compliance with the deal, but preparing missiles in a way that violates its spirit.

With competing voices on both sides, who really knows what Trump has decided, if he’s actually decided anything at all yet.

Meanwhile, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani pulled out the apology card. He should be glad Trump didn’t give him a nickname like he did with “Rocket Man” Kim. If anything sways Trump to kill the Iran deal, Rouhani demanding an apology could factor large in the decision.

Ugly, ignorant words were spoken by the US president against the Iranian nation. Full or hatred & baseless allegations and unfit for #UNGA

— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) September 20, 2017

At presser, @HassanRouhani tells me Iran is waiting for an apology from @POTUS for his offensive remarks yesterday at @UN

— margaret brennan (@margbrennan) September 20, 2017

Perspectives

How Trump can pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement | Tom DiChristopher, CNBC

Renewed sanctions on Iran’s energy sector could cut off its oil supplies, potentially boosting oil prices. That would bolster earnings for oil companies, but raise energy costs for consumers and businesses.

European oil majors seeking to jointly develop Iran’s oil and natural gas fields, such as France’s Total, might also retrench. Boeing, which is allowed to sell aircraft to Iran under the deal, would potentially drop plans to deliver planes to the national air carrier.

Top Trump General: Iran’s Complying With The Agreement. Trump Should Kill The Deal Anyway. | Ben Shapiro, Daily Wire

In this case, the experts are not only wrong on the facts, but they are also looking at the situation through the wrong end of the telescope. For all of his faults, Trump’s instinctive desire to end the nuclear deal is more reality-based than the arguments of his critics. He should stop listening to them and begin the process of decertifying the nuclear agreement.

Iran is following the pattern of North Korea and moving full speed ahead with its program of regional domination, to be capped with the legal development of a nuclear weapon. This much is obvious. And they know that the only possibility of retaining power is to avoid ticking off the United States, then going nuclear at the first available opportunity; that’s why North Korea is still run by the Kim family.

Tillerson, Haley Clash Over Iran Nuclear Deal | Adam Kredo, Washington Free Beacon

Haley “thinks that [Tillerson is] trying to undermine the president and preserve Obama’s Iran legacy, which is true,” explained the source, who would only discuss the sensitive matter on background. “He thinks she’s running her own foreign policy and auditioning for his job, which is also true.”

These tensions have “spilled into the open” several times “over the last few weeks,” but were quickly dispelled in order to promote a public face of unity within the Trump administration, according to the source and others who spoke to the Free Beacon.

 Reactions

Fat chance of that happening.

— Pamela Wilkes (@PamelaWilkes6) September 20, 2017

#UN will be adding a "safe space" and a "cry room" after Trump's speech. Counselors will be available for those who were triggered. #UNGA https://t.co/Mv38lGjLxu

— Steve Berman (@stevengberman) September 21, 2017

Final Thoughts

Trump has a tendency to tell reporters he’s decided things without having actually decided them. So it’s possible we won’t know until October when it’s time to certify the deal again. I don’t see how Iran could be made to comply any better than they are, since it’s their intention to do as little as possible but make things look technically in compliance. Either Trump will tear up the deal, which he campaigned on doing, or we will all be doing this dance again at Christmastime.

Better to get it over with if the president is every going to do it.