Iran’s Leader Was Right About Nuclear Talks

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei was right to say the dispute over nuclear program is politicized, used as a pretext to put pressure on the Islamic Republic, slow down its scientific/technological progress, and contain its influence across the region and beyond.

News ID: 60912

Date: 27 October 2014 - 16:00

According to Ayatollah Khamenei, even if Iran and the P5+1 (the United States, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany) clinch an accord, the West will come up with new excuses to antagonize Tehran. He was also right to say he is not so optimistic about the talks: On Friday, October 24, after two days of technical talks in Vienna, US chief nuclear negotiator Wendy Sherman substantiated the Iranian Leader’s assertions - in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

1. Sherman said: “Certain US allies and members of the Congress don’t want to see a final nuclear deal. Some worry it will fail. Others seem to fear it will succeed. Many have questions and doubts."

-So it wasn’t Iran; it was the US and allies that started all this mistrust in the first place. Washington used the same sentiment to allege Tehran is not sincere in efforts to clinch an accord.

2. Sherman said: “The White House has consulted with members of Congress and with our overseas partners, including Israel and the Persian Gulf states. We have heard concerns and done our best to answer hard questions."

-Tehran was right to say it is because of pressures from allies that Washington has no intention to end the nuclear dispute. The West has politicized the program. Otherwise, Tehran has nothing to hide.

3. Sherman said: “A possible comprehensive deal gives the world confidence that Tehran’s nuclear energy program is exclusively peaceful.”

-Quite the opposite, it is Washington and allies that need to give confidence they are not toying with Tehran. All new reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are pretty much positive, generally saying Tehran is cooperating. The same sentiment goes to the American/European spy agencies. In general, they maintain Tehran is in compliance.

4. Sherman said: “Diplomacy with Tehran is worth the risk. We have made impressive progress on issues that seemed intractable. November 24 is the deadline for clinching a deal."

-Why wait until November 24? The anti-Iran sanction resolutions are short of scientific, technical, legal or justified virtues, and only endorsed under pressure and coercion. To substantiate, in February 2007, former US Assistant Secretary for Non-Proliferation and International Security, Stephen G. Rademaker said, “Some of the votes against Iran at the IAEA were coerced."

5. Sherman said: “If the two sides clinch an accord, Iran would get significant relief from financial, trade and oil sanctions. But the sanctions relief will not include issues related to human rights in Iran or support for terrorism.”

-The US hypocrisy goes even further: The Congress has given threats by Democrats and Republicans to institute new sanctions if the deal isn’t to their liking! Other significant hurdles remain. They include selling an agreement to Israel and Arab allies - the very same partners that Sherman says, “Want to see the nuclear talks fail.”

6. To complicate matters, the IAEA continues to issue new reports on Iran’s nuclear program that, in the words of the Russian Foreign Ministry, “are a politicized compilation of well-known facts.”

-Without question, these reports are upon the US political pressure. That’s why they have provided some doubts about Iran nuclear projects, which have never been proved. Based on those imbalanced reports, the UN Security Council passed resolutions as well. Those resolutions from international legal aspect are not justifiable, since there is no document available about Iranian infringement of non-proliferation treaty to support them. The UNSC decisions were taken based on doubts, not facts. So they are illegal.

Altogether, international realities are changing. It is very timely for the US and associates to acknowledge the Iranian right of nuclear industry. If they can accept that NPT is the basic law on nuclear and go through it, a win-win approach can be expected.

Otherwise, the international community should give the Iranian Leader the benefit of the doubt, when he says: "What our officials started will continue. We will not renege. I have no opposition to the nuclear talks. But I will say again: There is no use. It will not lead anywhere."

Source: Fars