Former U.S. President Barack Obama, assessing the memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war between the United States and Iran, criticized President Donald Trump's policy on Iran, saying it "feels like we've returned to the prewar state, or it may even have gotten worse."
According to NBC News, in an interview aired on the 19th local time, former President Obama, when asked for his view of the MOU between the United States and Iran, said, "We fought a war, incurred massive expense, and placed a heavy burden on the military," adding, "Many people (13 U.S. service members) lost their lives."
He said, "The cease-fire itself is very welcome, and I hope it lasts," but added, "In the end, it feels like we've returned to where we were before the war started. Perhaps the situation has gotten a little worse."
Obama also referred to the Iran nuclear deal reached during his term in 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saying, "At the time, Iran agreed not to develop nuclear weapons." He added, "The first Trump administration that followed withdrew from the nuclear deal, and as a result, Iran secured more nuclear capability."
This is interpreted as a direct rebuttal to Trump highlighting the recently signed MOU with Iran as an achievement while criticizing the JCPOA, which is regarded as a signature diplomatic accomplishment of the Obama administration.
The JCPOA is an agreement signed in 2015 by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Russia, the European Union (EU), and Iran. It stipulates that Iran limits its nuclear program in exchange for the United States and the international community easing sanctions on Iran.