PARAGRAPH, WORDS AND MEANINGS
TOPIC OF THE DAY –
Deal Breaker: On The U.S.’ Withdrawal From The Iran Deal –
President Donald Trump’s decision to unilaterally pull the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal is a huge setback to multilateral diplomacy and the rules-based international order. The agreement, signed in 2015 by Iran with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and the EU, curtailed its nuclear programme in return for withdrawing economic sanctions. It was reached after 18 months of painful negotiations. Under the deal, most of Iran’s enriched uranium was shipped out of the country, a heavy water facility was rendered inoperable and the operational nuclear facilities were brought under international inspection. In Iran, the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani went ahead with the deal despite strong opposition from hardliners. Mr. Trump has just wrecked all these efforts, despite numerous reports, including from American intelligence agencies, that Iran is 100% compliant with the terms of the agreement. When the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the deal is formally called, was signed, many had raised doubts about whether Iran could be trusted to comply with the terms. Three years later, unfortunately, it’s the U.S., which had initiated talks with Iran under the previous administration, that has acted in bad faith. Mr. Trump’s decision is not about nuclear weapons. If his administration was actually concerned about Iran acquiring them, it would have supported a deal that closes the path towards nuclear weapons for Iran. Instead, the bigger concern for Mr. Trump as well as Washington’s closest allies in West Asia — Israel and Saudi Arabia — is Iran’s re-accommodation in the global economic mainstream. They fear that if Iran’s economic profile rises, it will embolden it to increase its regional presence, posing a strategic threat to the interests of the U.S.-Saudi-Israel axis. This crisis of trust could have been avoided had the Trump administration built on the goodwill created during the Obama years. Mr. Trump has always been a critic of the Iran deal, and the Islamic Republic in general. Now, by pulling out of the deal he has manufactured a crisis in an already tumultuous region. The U.S. action doesn’t necessarily trigger an immediate collapse of the agreement. For now, Europe, Russia and China remain committed to it. Iran has responded cautiously, with the Foreign Minister saying he will engagediplomatically with the remaining signatories. But the challenges will emerge, not only for Europe but also for other nations with strong trade ties with Iran, including India, once American sanctions are in place. The U.S. stands isolated in its decision. But the question is whether Europe and other powers will stick together to respect the mandate of an international agreement, or buckle under American pressure. If they do cave in, West Asia will be a lot more dangerous.
WORDS AND MEANINGS –
1) Unilaterally
Meaning: Used to indicate that something is done by only one person, group, or country involved in a situation, without the agreement of others.
Example: “in 1996 the region unilaterally declared independence”
2) Setback
Meaning: A reversal or check in progress.
Example: “a serious setback for the peace process”
Synonyms: Problem, Difficulty
Antonyms: Breakthrough
3) Curtailed
Meaning: Reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on.
Example: “civil liberties were further curtailed”
Synonyms: Reduce, Cut
Antonyms: Increase, Lengthen
4) Withdrawing
Meaning: Remove or take away (something) from a particular place or position.
Example: “Ruth withdrew her hand from his”
Synonyms: Remove, Extract
Antonyms: Insert
5) Negotiations
Meaning: Discussion aimed at reaching an agreement.
Example: “a worldwide ban is currently under negotiation”
Synonyms: Conference, Debate
6) Enriched
Meaning: Improve or enhance the quality or value of.
Example: “her exposure to museums enriched her life in France”
Synonyms: Enhance, Reinforce
Antonyms: Spoil, Devalue
7) Shipped out
Meaning: To send something away from somewhere to somewhere else.
Example: The timber is shipped out of the stockyard by truck.
8) Rendered
Meaning: Provide or give (a service, help, etc.).
Example: “money serves as a reward for services rendered”
Synonyms: Provide, Give
9) Hardliners
Meaning: A member of a group, typically a political group, who adheres uncompromisingly to a set of ideas or policies.
Example: “neither hardliners nor reformers would be likely to want him as their leader”
10) Wrecked
Meaning: Spoil completely.
Example: “an eye injury wrecked his chances of a professional career”
Synonyms: Ruin, Spoil
Antonyms: Facilitate
11) Comply
Meaning: Act in accordance with a wish or command.
Example: “we are unable to comply with your request”
Synonyms: Observe, Obey
Antonyms: Ignore, Disobey
12) Bad faith
Meaning: Intent to deceive.
Example: “the Republicans accused the Democrats of negotiating in bad faith”
13) Acquiring
Meaning: Buy or obtain (an asset or object) for oneself.
Example: “I managed to acquire all the books I needed”
Synonyms: Obtain, Receive
Antonyms: Lose
14) Allies
Meaning: A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity.
Example: “he was forced to dismiss his closest political ally”
Synonyms: Associate, Friend
Antonyms: Enemy, Opponent
15) Embolden
Meaning: Give (someone) the courage or confidence to do something.
Example: “emboldened by the claret, he pressed his knee against hers”
Synonyms: Encourage, Hearten
Antonyms: Dishearten, Discourage
16) Posing
Meaning: Present or constitute (a problem or danger).
Example: “the sheer number of visitors is posing a threat to the area”
Synonyms: Constitute, Present
17) Goodwill
Meaning: Friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.
Example: “the scheme is dependent on goodwill between the two sides”
Synonyms: Compassion, Consideration
Antonyms: Hostility
18) Pulling out
Meaning: To stop being involved in an activity.
Example: Lack of funding leaves us with no choice but to pull out.
19) Tumultuous
Meaning: Excited, confused, or disorderly.
Example: “a tumultuous crowd”
Synonyms: Tempestuous, Stormy
Antonyms: Peaceful, Uneventful
20) Engage
Meaning: Participate or become involved in.
Example: “organizations engage in a variety of activities”
Synonyms: Undertake, Involved
21) Signatories
Meaning: A party that has signed an agreement, especially a state that has signed a treaty.
Example: “Britain is a signatory to the convention”
22) Stick
Meaning: Accept or tolerate (an unpleasant or unwelcome person or situation).
Example: “I can’t stick Geoffrey—he’s a real old misery”
Synonyms: Tolerate, Take
23) Buckle Under
Meaning: To be defeated by a difficult situation.
Example: But these were difficult times and a lesser man would have buckled under the strain.
24) Cave in
Meaning: Capitulate or submit under pressure.
Example: “the manager caved in to his demands”
Synonyms: Yield, Surrender
