WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has insisted that the deal he has reached with Iran is superior to the one that President Barack Obama sealed in 2015, while Trump’s critics say at this point he has gotten much less and given up much more to Tehran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli government and US Jewish leaders aggressively opposed the 2015 deal, calling it a danger to Israel. This time, the memorandum of understanding that the US and Iran inked this week has likewise caused significant concern in Israel, and sparked condemnations across the political spectrum, but Netanyahu has so far refrained from criticizing it publicly.

Here is how the two agreements compare:

What each deal is — and isn’t

They are very different. The memorandum of understanding that Trump signed with Iran is not a final agreement but a one-and-a-half-page, 14-point framework negotiated on and off over a period of weeks.

It has launched a 60-day negotiation period to seek a full settlement of the nearly four-month war, with many hurdles yet to overcome on issues that include Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief and the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

The first round of those talks, planned to begin on Friday, was called off, though US Vice President JD Vance said he may travel soon to Switzerland, where they are set to take place.

Obama’s pact was a finished, detailed document titled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that extended to more than 160 pages. It was narrowly focused on restricting Iran’s nuclear activities, with strict benchmarks. Trump, who condemned the Obama-era deal as “horrible,” scrapped it in 2018 with the urging of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump’s approach has been bilateral, between the US and Iran. Obama brought China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and the European Union into negotiations that lasted about two years.

Iran denies seeking nuclear arms, but has enriched uranium to levels with no peaceful application and obstructed international inspectors from its sites.

Both Obama’s and Trump’s deals involve a written commitment by Iran never to seek a nuclear weapon.........

© The Times of Israel