November 24, 2013

MPAC welcomed the nuclear deal reached between the United States, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the international community last night, calling it “a historic first step in preventing further conflict in an already troubled region.” 

SEE: “Accord Reached with Iran to Halt Nuclear Program” (New York Times)

The deal, which has been agreed upon for an initial six-month period, will have Iran halt its uranium enrichment process beyond 5 percent, give greater access and transparency to inspectors in multiple plants and halt any progress at the infamous Arak plant. In return, the international community will not impose new sanctions on the country for the next six months, and Iran will receive $7 billion in sanction relief. 

“This is a testament to the power of diplomacy in addressing international conflicts, and a meaningful step toward a nuclear free world," said Salam Al-Marayati, President of MPAC. “The administration should work to make this deal permanent and ensure that voices of fear and agitation do not derail this historic progress.”

 In 2012, MPAC published “Selecting Options on the Table Carefully: The Consequences of a Military Strike on Iran,” a policy paper which advocated for a diplomatic track to dealing with Iran and the disastrous consequences war with Iran would have for both our nation and the region.

The paper read, in part:

“It is our belief that toning down the confrontational rhetoric, re-engaging effective international institutions, reinvigorating diplomacy and sanctions that target human rights violators not the Iranian people, are more promising, yet under-explored approaches. Meanwhile, the arguments in favor of attacking Iran rest on a number of overly optimistic and faulty premises.

MPAC continues to believe that the attainment of nuclear weapons is antithetical to the principals of Islam. We believe that the best way to reduce tensions in the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa is to a have all countries declare an end to their nuclear programs.

MPAC calls for nuclear disarmament in the Middle East for those countries that have nuclear weapons and nonproliferation for those countries that do not.