If the deal was ‘horrible,’ this is worse

RE “ ‘A horrible, one-sided deal’ ’’ (Page A1, May 8): Your article minimizes this crisis as a dispute among allies and profoundly understates its seriousness. Not only does the President abandon a multilateral agreement, his action also imposes brutal economic sanctions on Iran — an opening salvo on a path to war and “regime change.’’

This agreement had the full force of the UN Security Council. By flouting it, the United States tears asunder the very basis of international order it erected from the ashes of World War II. Will any nation heed Security Council actions if America elects to ignore the ones it doesn’t like?

Also unnoted in your article is the impact on trade. The sanctions, for example, require the immediate cancellation of a number of airplane orders for Boeing. They will send ripples down the supply chain of many sectors, costing billions in trade and jobs.

But above all, it is an unprovoked act of aggression. Despite President Trump’s lies, Iran was complying with this agreement. Our allies and adversaries together stand aghast at this latest wrecking-ball maneuver by our president. As with all bullies, Trump’s bullying will keep on “working,’’ until it doesn’t. And then, all hell will break loose.

Jerry Ross

North Chelmsford

Iran’s support of terror has increased

In 2016 John Kerry acknowledged that some of the money Iran received in sanctions relief “will end up in the hands of the IRGC or other entities, some of which are labeled terrorists. . . . I’m not going to sit here and tell you that every component of that can be prevented.’’ He was right about that.

On May 8, Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen targeted the Saudi capital of Riyadh with missiles. “The Iranian regime has exploited the benefits of the nuclear agreement to export violence and terrorism to its neighbors,’’ Saudi Arabia said in a statement.

“Since the signing of the nuclear agreement, the Iranian regime’s support of dangerous militias and terror groups has markedly increased. Its missiles and advanced weapons are turning up in war zones all across the Middle East,’’ the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, wrote in an essay published in The New York Times.

The JCPOA did not lead the way to “peace in our time.’’

Julia Lutch

Davis, Calif.