Informal Agreement: This is Not the Same as a Treaty (In Part, a Humorous Take)

"Hey, what's the lowdown on a treaty?"

"A treaty is essentially a written understanding between two or more international players, setting out obligations. It's more like a binding agreement or contract, not just a casual memorandum."

"Still got ya confused, huh?"

"Think of it this way: a treaty is binding, whereas a memorandum isn't, even if it's all nicely written out. It's a legal commitment, you see."

"Someone asked me what the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, was. It involved the US, UK, France, China, Russia, Germany, EU, and, of course, Iran. It kicked off in 2016."

"Now, it's a deal, not actually a treaty. It wasn't treated like one under the U.S. Constitution or laws of other nations involved. Instead, it's a negotiated agreement, reliant on mutual promises and verification procedures."

"The deal was created to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. But the U.S., under Trump, bailed out in 2018, and Iran started scaling back compliance."

"Speaking of water, you remember the issue with Baghlihar and Kishanganga dams, right? Pakistan alleged that they violated the Indus Water Treaty. India started construction in 1999, and Pakistan objected in 2005."

"The Indians argued that the projects were necessary for power generation and dismissed Pakistan's claims. But Pakistan was right, as the dams gave India leverage during times of political tension or war."

"Further talks failed, and Pakistan didn't approach the World Bank until 2005—six years into the construction process. The World Bank took three months to assign a neutral arbitrator, who made his final decision on 12 February 2007."

"At least the verdict did limit India's flow control capabilities slightly. But major objections were rejected."

"You want the government to hit the World Bank up stat, right? But give our officials some time to flex their muscles—the constant chant of Form 47 from the team headed by Nameless Face is enough to scare anyone!"

"Is a leopard ever gonna change its spots?"

"I surrender."

"In the world of diplomacy and general-news, the Iran nuclear deal, while often referred to as a deal, is not a treaty but a negotiated agreement. However, in a different context, the Indus Water Treaty serves as an example of how international water distribution treaties can provide one country leverage in political matters."

"Just as the dams constructed under the Indus Water Treaty gave India an advantage during times of political tension or war, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) in the realm of politics can potentially leverage the economic power of nations in the digital economy."