Throughout fall semester 16', I have been a member of the group specializing in the US-Iran Nuclear Deal. Our work has covered the multidimensional aspect of this recently formed agreement. In the first blog post written, we decided to lay out a regular structure of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Do develop an in-depth understanding of the topic, we first had to answer what the JCPOA is. We illustrated such by describing how Iran's nuclear capability is reduced since it signing in 2015. Iran in itself benefits from this as the international community has lifted economic sanctions hampering the country for decades. Through these frames did we shape our first post, illustrating that the deal had an upbringing based on hostility between the Western world and Iran. This hostility and controversy centralizing the deal became the primary outlet of answering why we all should know about this topic. As our first post laid out the foundation of the deal, we decided to tackle the second post with something which as the time being was highly current. We examined the different policies the (then) presidential candidates in Trump and Clinton had on the agreement. Unsurprisingly, we presented that Clinton and her close alliance with Obama, support the deal. However, Trump, now president-elect, is quite unsettled on his idea of the deal but plainly skeptical. We found it important to address that the (then) upcoming election could be highly deterrent regarding Irani and US relations. Lastly, our third post elaborated on what type of diplomatic connections the deal has brought to the international scene. However, we specialized this narrative to Middle Eastern reactions to the deal. Today's western media tend to cover the stories the western world can relate to - we found it of importance to challenge this. We wanted to educate our peers how countries like Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Israel see the world's community's newly established connection with Iran.
Our research process always began by discussing what we wanted to address with the upcoming post. The first decision of presenting what the JCPOA is came naturally. However, the second and third were more based on the current discussions on the deal; approaching something dominating as the election but also seeing the value in the perhaps more obscure such as the Middle Eastern perspective. When we had decided upon each of these topics, we divided the research among our members. Different fields were covered by various people to maximize the perspective presented in the post. Thereafter, each would write his/her paragraph (or working in pairs) which we ultimately finalized into a complete post.
I feel confident as I say that this project has taught be a great deal about the US-Iran Nuclear Deal. For example, and so evident, it taught me that we shouldn't have called our project by being the "US" deal. Although the US under the Obama Administration has been the primary advocate for the deal, it has required an international cooperation from multiple nations for it to become finalized. Things like this, of more detailed nature of the topic, is where this project did become so beneficial. Previously, I figured I knew a good amount about the subject. However, I have now come to realize that I only had a very broad understanding. The deal means so much more than Iran having less nuclear resources. For example, it implies the value of globalization and diplomacy in our world (at least did pre-Trump). It creates tension and a new shift of power in the Middle East and it shapes great debate between the Republican and Democrats. And the list goes on. Once this topic is studied in-depth, it becomes evident how complexed it is; which describes why so many different opinions remain on it. This is something which had to be taken into consideration writing this blog: watching out for the biased reports! Something which wasn't accomplished with ease, however, I feel that we did a good job including the opposing and contradicting perspectives. Finally, this project taught me what it means to work together in college, for the first time. I have come to realize, in particular on the university level, that different people will have different motifs and motivations. It can be essential to find those matching your own personal goal; or, the group might end up quite divided.
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