Adil Rasheed replies: Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, relations between the United States (US) and Iran have remained adversarial. Therefore, it might not be correct to single out Donald Trump’s presidency as being particularly ‘hostile’ towards Iran, as several US administrations in the past have imposed sanctions and threatened to go to war with the theocratic state.

Adil Rasheed replies: For the Islamic Republic of Iran to have named its elite offshore military force ‘al-Quds’, which is the Arabic name for Jerusalem, is understandably disconcerting for the United States (US) and Israel as it clearly points to Iran’s extra-territorial military ambition of “liberating” Islam’s third holiest city from the Zionist state.

Shebonti Ray Dadwal replies: Despite Iran being India’s third largest oil supplier, the termination of oil purchases from Iran will not affect supplies as other alternative sources are available, in fact eager to gain greater access to the lucrative Indian oil market. However, India will have to do without the concessional terms offered by Iran – such as the 60-day credit line as well as the insurance benefits.

A Vinod Kumar replies: North Korea and Iran were two notable cases of nuclear deviance in the past two decades as both were alleged to have misused their access to nuclear energy resources for peaceful purposes, which they gained as non-nuclear weapon states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, since their deviance from non-proliferation norms were considerably different, negotiations pertaining to their respective nuclear programmes have had varied outcomes.