October 6, 2020 | National Post
Will Trudeau have the stomach to take on Iran?
Ottawa should be on the right side of history and join the U.S. in applying maximum pressure against the Islamic republic
October 6, 2020 | National Post
Will Trudeau have the stomach to take on Iran?
Ottawa should be on the right side of history and join the U.S. in applying maximum pressure against the Islamic republic
Earlier this week, the United States government announced the re-imposition of all United Nations sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran. This “snapback” of international restrictions on one of the world’s most dangerous regimes presents an opportunity for Canada to defend its own interests and promote international peace and security — all under the banner of multilateralism. The question is whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has the stomach to do the right thing.
Under the Iranian nuclear deal, an international arms embargo on Iran was set to expire next month. The Trump administration put forward a resolution at the UN Security Council to extend the embargo, but Russia and China — hoping to sell arms to the Islamic republic — opposed the move and vowed to use their permanent member vetoes to stop it. The United Kingdom, France and Germany opted to remain neutral — appearing more afraid of offending Tehran, Beijing and Moscow than of further destabilizing the Middle East.