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Iran is asking for trouble with nuclear plans

It hasn't been even a month since the United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or what is commonly known as the nuclear deal, and Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei is already planning to increase uranium enrichment. The enrichment would be within the framework of the JCPOA, for the time being, he has reportedly said, which is hardly a consolation for the region. A nuclear Iran in the Middle East is unacceptable. Come to think of it, this had to happen. The deal struck with the previous US administration under Barack Obama was flawed and failed to address the core issue of abandonment of nuclear pursuits. Iran's nuclear ambitions were merely capped. All that the regime did was put it on the back burner for a decade. The deal was in Iran's favour, the West was fooled. United States President Donald Trump was precise in his assessment of the JCPOA when he said, "It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will."
Under the cover of the nuclear pact, Iran has continued to pursue its hegemonic plans and its proxies are causing trouble across the region. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have taken on the regime and are pushing back Iranian-backed militias. In Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, we can see the footprints of the regime. Khamenei's recent set of demands to European powers, too, corroborates the claims of the Gulf states that have always been wary of Tehran's intentions. Khamenei has said he is unsure whether Iran would remain committed to the deal. The conditions put forward, six in all, are proof that Iran wants a free rein in the region. Its bold demands from Europe include turning a blind eye to its ballistic missile programme or its regional covert activities; guarantees that Iran's oil will continue to be sold and compensation for any losses, and purchasing of any remaining stock. European banks must also guarantee financial transactions with Iran. Tehran cannot arm-twist the world to spread its brand of revolution any longer. The nuclear deal signed in 2015 only emboldened the regime, and it's about time the world brings Tehran to task for its deceptions. Iran should not just cap but dismantle its nuclear infrastructure. Nothing short of denuclearisation will do.