Three months ago, I published this: “I remain hopeful that Iran will realise that there is a huge opportunity here. If Iran tactically backs down on its nuclear programme in the current circumstances, that will not be a defeat for Iran but a defeat for the neo-cons.”
That is precisely what has happened. My own Western diplomatic source with access to the talks, has told me today that he estimates 96% of the movement since December has been on the Iranian side, and only 4% on the international side. At the end, the Iranians took everyone by surprise by agreeing to take 2,000 more centrifuges out of use than anybody ever thought they would.
The Iranians have played a blinder by conceding. When Netanyahu had stripped off his thin cloak of international respectability and revealed himself to the world as an arrant racist warmonger, and Israel enjoys less popular support in the West than ever, Iran reveals itself as sensible, moderate and forward thinking in terms of its international relationships.
What is more, Iran has embarrassed and isolated its enemies. The enemies of this deal stand starkly displayed as the Saudi Arabian Royals, Israeli Zionists and United States Zionists – and a more evil combination it is difficult to imagine.
I remain strongly opposed to theocracy. Iran’s human rights record remains very poor and its treatment of gays utterly unacceptable. But by making plain that it is telling the truth in denying it is pursuing a nuclear arsenal, it is making a step in the right direction. If the West shows good faith – which I do not take for granted – and lifts sanctions, then we will see further development in Iran that I hope may produce improvement in democracy, society and human rights. But for now Iran has played a blinder.
If the congressional Zionists do manage to stymie Obama on this one, that will harm the US more than Iran as it will leave Israel and the US alone in sanctioning Iran, and almost certainly a situation where the US is sanctioning EU companies for trading perfectly legally with Iran after the EU lifts sanctions. The EU lifting of sanctions will not be conditional on the US lifting sanctions.That will drive a wedge between the EU and US. So this is a win/win situation for the world whatever Congress does.
It is worth reading the comments section on my December article, and seeing just how many commenters could not see that taking a step back would bring a victory to Iran, and that the Ahmadinejad policy of macho confrontation was deeply unintelligent. Sometimes you win by stepping back and watching your assailant blunder over.
A betrayed Gaddafy also thought he had a deal,in return for scrapping his arsenal, but that was only whilst Bliar, one of its key movers, was around. The Beast is no longer operated by wasps, it is under new management, expect the Adelson-Kochs to engineer an about turn even faster at the Congress. With a very mute UN in the face of the saudi blockade and bombing, international order is clearly breaking down, but I agree with CM, Rouhani has the warmongering neocohens in a quandary. As RoS points out, we may even have a dolphin carry out a USS Liberty to put a spanner in the works, but this time the DNA on a trainer left behind on the sea bed will hopefully give away the game. And habba and anon can be revealed as the real right Charlies then !
Wake up Kempe. Craig reveals all in a new post this morning. You will get the sack unless you pull your socks up.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2015/04/uk-intelligence-services-attack-snp/
Mark Mardell on The World at One ‘interviewed’ Dore Gold on the Iran deal. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pr38f#auto 10.52 in
Privately he has been asked if it is more than his job is worth to have asked about the possession of nuclear weapons by Israel and why it has not joined the NPT.
He said he hoped not and agreed it is a matter that is ignored by the media because the leading politicians do so too. What a cop out.
~~~
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dore_Gold
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Mardell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_on_the_Non-Proliferation_of_Nuclear_Weapons
“But by making plain that it is telling the truth in denying it is pursuing a nuclear arsenal, it is making a step in the right direction. If the West shows good faith – which I do not take for granted – and lifts sanctions, then we will see further development in Iran that I hope may produce improvement in democracy, society and human rights. But for now Iran has played a blinder.”
Excellent article on a precariously balanced issue on a knife-edge and in very dangerous times.
Iran has shown other middle eastern countries that diplomacy and respect can work and it feels as if this will rejuvenate its relations with western and eastern countries.
Iran, despite its appalling human rights record, is as reliable a partner than China is, which has also got an appalling human rights record. The story that stuck out this week, for example, was that an Uighur was imprisoned for two years, so was his wife, for wearing a beard….
Iran is not an aggressive country, but it does support Shia communities abroad, just as we pretend to support Christians living in and around Mosul.
Our ears and eyes should be open for the googly that is being bowled, by either congress, some extraordinary action in the ME, or some backhanded diplomacy given credence by our MSM mouthpieces, for it will come as day follows night.
The wider drift, globally, into lawless right wing politics, US republican hawks and arms dealers will see to that.
I expect that both China and Irans human rights record will improve with greater engagement, more trade, tourism, human interactions and modernity, but not with despatching bombs and creating more hatred in the whole world.
Netanyahu should go and see a shrink, he’s fuming that Obama gone against his ‘advice’ and will do his utmost to undermine this deal, as well as scare the living daylights out of his people, the Palestinians and his neighbouring countries to support him in that aim.
The colossal refugee crisis in Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan has the capacity to overwhelm everyone in Europe, and its time for us to re evaluate the support and training we give to rogue,indoctrinated and religiously misguided mercenaries who fight Assad and are destabilising the whole middle east, in a secret concert between Israel, Saudi and Quatar. The news that Saudi is seeking nuclear weapons means that they also accept to becoming a target for such weapons, a backward and unfathomable development.
How we can hear them all howl about Saudi’s treatment of bloggers, Homosexuals and human rights, the papers are full with such articles since they announced their nuclear desires…or are they not?
How come nobody is making anything of Saudi’s desire for nukes? why ever not? they are most untrustworthy with their arms, giving it wholesale to their errant princes who like to play warlords in IS, these weapons will end up in the hands of terrorists, what irresponsible moves is the nuclear coterie allowing here?
I hope that the Iranian offer is capable of being verified. One motive for Obama in making this deal may have been that the Israelis caused real offense to the White House by exploiting the bitter party political divisions in the United States, which I think is a bigger threat to America than any external enemy.
Did one of the commenters here have advance knowledge of the leaked memo?
Yes of course – does a certain poster not realise that Resident Dissident is really the head of MI5, Kmpe is the head of GCHQ and Anon1 is David Cameron chillaxing on the web?
Such ignorance must be a consequence of living so far away from these shores.
So to speak.
Habba
I think you’ll find that Mr Goss has always placed me in GCHQ!
Habbababble;@10:11pm
“why are you pretending to be female”?
Why on earth would I “PRETEND” to be female???
This person is undoubtedly certifiable.
Nobody accuses Cameron and Milliband of working for GCHQ, but they do seem to have been tipped off in advance.
“Miss” Castello
Well, you don’t want to reveal your real identity, do you. So why not throw people off the scent further by claiming to be female?
There are awfully many people on here pretending to be something they’re not.
Bibi is in Washington trying to kill the deal just as he kills Palestinians.
He describes Iran as the ‘pre-eminent terrorist state’. No irony.
LOL.
9.39pm.5th April
As nosy as ever about other people’s private details. Get a life of your own.
Iran Warning On Final Nuclear Agreement
The warning comes as the six major powers prepare for more talks aimed at curbing Iran’s growing nuclear programme.
http://news.sky.com/story/1461386/iran-warning-on-final-nuclear-agreement
The Iranians are not to be taken for fools.