The United States, along with some of its allies, particularly Israel, was at a level convinced that Tehran had set out to develop a nuclear weapons programme. Russia and China, technically allies for Iran, but not wanting a nuclearised West Asia, were also left stumped. Mr. Trump had long advocated that the JCPOA was farcical and negotiated in a way which did not secure American interests. However, a few months following the attacks, Mr. Trump is now chasing a deal through diplomacy, in a very similar manner as Mr. Obama did and succeeded, albeit not a perfect one. But with Mr. Trump, it was an opportunity as the Israeli leader managed to market his state’s celebrated intelligence apparatus’s assessment that Iran was racing towards nuclear weapons.
