Trump dashed dreams of reform in Iran. The country's new hardline president is living proof
CNN
Iranians knew that Trump's decision to ditch the nuclear deal would backfire. The country's latest presidential election is a case in point.
President Donald Trump was about to announce America's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. It signaled the start of an onslaught of sanctions that would all but crush Iran's economy. It also dashed the dreams of reform-minded Iranians. "What Trump is about to do is extend the life of the regime by another 30 years," an elderly Iranian-American told CNN in the hours before the speech. The Islamic Republic, established in the wake of the overthrow of the autocratic, staunchly pro-Western Shah, was just a few months shy of its 40th birthday. The nuclear deal, on the other hand, seemed to serve as the opening salvo of reform in the country.More Related News