LOS ANGELES.–President Donald Trump offered Iran a new opportunity on its nuclear program, Trump wants to do business with Iran buying nuclear fuel to run the next generation of modular nuclear power plants, considered the next climate change way of making energy. No one other than Trump saw the benefits of Iran’s nuke problem for U.S. industry, offering Iran away out of its current nuclear trap of producing weapons grade material to develop its first nuclear bomb. When former President Barack Obama signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA] July 14, 2015, it was with the intent of reducing Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. Trump cancelled the JCPOA May 8, 2018 because it accomplished nothing other than giving Iran sanctions relief and turning over billions in frozen Iranian assets. Trump’s new approach would revolutionize Iran’s nuke industry.
Tehran’s top envoy Abbas Araghchi opened up the possibility in Washington Post oped where he opened up the possibility of the U.S. participating in a “trillion-dollar” business market for U.S. companies, not specifically suggesting that the U.S. buy reactor fuel from Iran. “Saying there’s a trillion-dollar opportunity as opposed to a trillion-dollar disastrous war, is a way to hook President Trump into a deal,” said Ellie Geranmayeh, head of Middle East and North African program at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Araghchi said entering into a business relationship with Iran would be a win-win for both countries, where Trump gets an abundant supply of reactor fuel or limiting Iran’s stockpiling of potentially weapons grade uranium for an A-Bomb. No one has ever thought that Iran’s nuke program could be a monetizing commodity for the U.S.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the U.S. has broken off diplomatic relations, fueled by a long history with the Shah of Iran and his father, dating back into the 1950s. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei deals with a restive population of young people wanting what earlier generations of Iranians had under the Shah. Khamenei broke off all ties with the U.S. thinking that Washington sought to topple the Islamic revolutionary regime. Araghchi proposes as radical plan where U.S. businesses could develop “tens of billions of dollars in potential contracts.” Araghchi didn’t specifically mention the U.S. buying into Iran’s nuclear industry but it makes perfect sense. Given the movement toward climate-change neutral modular nuclear reactors, the nuclear power industry would welcome a reliable, cheap source of nuclear reactor fuel.
Araghchi knows that Iran’s nuclear industry could be put to good use fueling nuclear reactors around the planet, a source of reactor fuel demanded by the nuclear power industry as it ramps up its presence in producing carbon-free power for the foreseeable future. “The Iranian market alone is big enough to revitalize the struggling nuclear industry in the U.S.,” Araghchi said in an X post last week. Asked whether the State Department was involved in any discussions with Iran on its nuclear fuel industry, they confirmed the U.S. rejects any attempt for Iran to convert its weapons grade uranium into a bomb. “We do not confirm or deny details of any ongoing negotiations,” said a spokesperson for the National Security Council. Trump has been talking with Iranian officials of business opportunities to eliminate the need for the U.S. to take military action.
Trump’s message to the Ayatollah has been clear that he wants to see Iran prosper in the future. “I want Iran to prosper,” Trump said. “I don’t want to do anything that will hurt anyone, but Iran can’t have nuclear weapons. We don’t want to take away their industry or land,” Trump said. Thinking about transforming Iran’s nuclear enrichment industry into a source of inexpensive reactor fuel for U.S. companies could be a joint venture that would transform U.S.-Iranian relations in the future. Khamenei, now 85, knows that his past support of anti-Israeli proxies around the Middle East has gotten Iran nowhere. Iran has fomented revolution largely against Israel, something Arab states no longer want. Khamenei used disgruntled Sunni groups like Palestinians to generate consensus for this mullah government in Iran. Khamenei’s proxies are now in ruins.
Trump sees a developing nuclear industry as a real possibility for the U.S. nuclear power industry. But in the conventional fossil fuel industry, there’s also lucrative opportunities for U.S. energy companies, opening up the Iranian markets. “They don’t have many cards up their sleeves in terms of negotiations, they’re less threatening tha a few years ago and their proxies have lost a lot of their influence,” said Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude oil analysis an Kpler. “They’re trying to say to the U.S. that you can benefit from a deal with us and we are open to your companies to invest,” Falakshahi said. Trump’s idea to get U.S. businesses involved in Iran’s nuke and oil industry would change the dynamics or U.S.-Iranian relations, damaged because of years of neglect and antagonism. Buying into Iran’s nuke industry could help save the planet from climate change.
About the Author John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma
