Oral Presentations: UC 331
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Mehrdad Kia
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Central and Southwest Asian Studies
Abstract / Artist's Statement
The nuclear deal between Iran and the US, along with other western nations, that came to fruition in the summer of 2015 has been characterized both as a positive change in US foreign relations and as an ill-conceived decision that could produce deadly consequences. Regardless of differing opinions on the content, the Iran nuclear deal will yield outcomes with international ramifications. This project analyzes the potential of the deal through the lens of the historical relationship between Iran and the United States to give much needed context to future interactions. Past US-Iranian relations will provide an indication of undertones that could positively or negatively affect the deal’s outcomes.
This analysis is based on research from prominent historians as well as recent pieces by commentators from both sides of the political spectrum critically evaluating the deal. Likewise, the text of the deal itself and current events also play roles. The scholarship brings together the more amicable historical relationship between Iran and America from the early 20th century with the much more recent nuclear deal. In light of the recent decades of mistrust from both sides, critical examination of the past relationship is necessary for determining whether the deal has more negative or positive potential to shape future relations. The paper finds that the nuclear deal has the potential to create positive outcomes, such as a conceivable thawing of tensions between the two countries and the re-creation of a more welcoming relationship than Iran and the US have experienced in the recent past.
Category
Social Sciences
Iran Nuclear Agreement: Good Choice or Bad Deal?
The nuclear deal between Iran and the US, along with other western nations, that came to fruition in the summer of 2015 has been characterized both as a positive change in US foreign relations and as an ill-conceived decision that could produce deadly consequences. Regardless of differing opinions on the content, the Iran nuclear deal will yield outcomes with international ramifications. This project analyzes the potential of the deal through the lens of the historical relationship between Iran and the United States to give much needed context to future interactions. Past US-Iranian relations will provide an indication of undertones that could positively or negatively affect the deal’s outcomes.
This analysis is based on research from prominent historians as well as recent pieces by commentators from both sides of the political spectrum critically evaluating the deal. Likewise, the text of the deal itself and current events also play roles. The scholarship brings together the more amicable historical relationship between Iran and America from the early 20th century with the much more recent nuclear deal. In light of the recent decades of mistrust from both sides, critical examination of the past relationship is necessary for determining whether the deal has more negative or positive potential to shape future relations. The paper finds that the nuclear deal has the potential to create positive outcomes, such as a conceivable thawing of tensions between the two countries and the re-creation of a more welcoming relationship than Iran and the US have experienced in the recent past.