BICOM urges UK to ‘narrow policy gap with the US’ over Trump quitting Iran deal
Pro-Israel think-tank publishes a briefing paper saying the UK should evaluate whether it can 'deal with the weaknesses in the nuclear agreement'
A pro-Israel think-tank in London has told the UK to “narrow the policy gap with the US” after Donald Trump pulled out of Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
The Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM) published its opinion in a briefing paper on Thursday, as tension mounted in the crucial oil shipping lane between Iran and other Gulf states.
The document, titled ‘Britain’s Iran Dilemma,’ follows Iran’s warning last month that if sanctions are not lifted it may cease to comply with its some of its commitments under the deal, signed by the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China.
Iran said the unilateral US withdrawal from the deal, new US sanctions and the apparent inability of European states to evade them meant that Iran’s counter-parties had reneged on their own commitments.
BICOM said the UK should now evaluate whether it can “deal with the weaknesses in the nuclear agreement and how to tackle Iran’s malign activities, including missile testing and transfer of precision missile technology”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long campaigned against the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was agreed by Obama and then Secretary of State John Kerry.
Trump pulled out in 2018, despite Iran having stuck verifiably to its obligations to dissemble its nuclear apparatus. The international monitoring regime is the most onerous in history.
BICOM analysts said this week that British diplomats should “explore whether the current situation can be leveraged into [new] negotiations” and “look… to address the long terms threats presented by the inherent weaknesses of the JCPOA”.
Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to become Britain’s next prime minister, said in May last year that the UK had “no intention of walking away” from the JCPOA. His comments were made when he was foreign secretary.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
