In the first official reaction to the forthcoming deal between Iran and the UN’s nuclear watchdog, U.S. officials gave a nod to the diplomatic success, but made clear that it did not mean Washington intended to let up its pressure on Iran.
Responding to the reported IAEA-Iran deal on Tuesday, White House spokesman Jay Carney called the IAEA agreement with Iran “a step in the right direction,” but said the U.S. would “make judgments about Iran’s behavior based on actions, not just promises or agreements.”
Carney added that the U.S. would continue to put heavy pressure on Iran and planned to move ahead with sanctions the harsh economic sanctions. “We’re not at the stage of negotiating what Iran would get in return for fulfillment of its obligations, beyond the general principle, which is they would be able to rejoin the community of nations,” he said.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, “Obviously, we fully support IAEA efforts to try to resolve the outstanding issues,” but “the implementation is what we’re going to be looking for…in order to determine whether Iran’s program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.”
Official language about Iran failing “to convince the world community that it is not pursuing the weaponization of nuclear power,” as President Obama said last week, is pure rhetoric designed to stave off criticism from Israel and Republicans that the administration is soft on Iran.
The fact is that the Obama administration, and the whole of the U.S. intelligence community, knows full well that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, has not demonstrated any intention to do so, and stopped all weaponization activities a decade ago.
Even the top brass of the Obama administration and military leadership, from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey have publicly declared that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons.
So despite the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and despite Iran’s demonstrated cooperation with the international inspections regime, U.S. officials are hurried to announce pressure and coercion are ongoing. Vice President Joe Biden reiterated this when he explained on Monday in a meeting with Jewish communal leaders that punitive sanctions – for a crime Iran has not committed – won’t be sacrificed to the negotiating process.
The sanctions that have been heaped on Iran are quite serious and far-reaching. They have already damaged the economy severely, facilitating increased unemployment and rampant inflation. The purpose behind them seems to be to harass and intimidate leaders in Tehran as opposed to being punishment for some unlawful act.
When the Obama administration kickstarted the diplomatic process with Iran back in 2009, it ended as soon as Iran acquiesced and agreed to Washington’s demands in a deal brokered by Turkey and Brazil. One hopes Washington’s reminiscent maneuvering is not an indication that these current diplomatic efforts will end similarly.
Why this DOUBLE STANDARD?
Israel builds an atomic arsenal and the world looks the other way. Israel will not allow inspections of their nuclear facilities in Dimona.
Iran is not building anything close to an atomic weapon, as agreed by our senior Intelligence community as well as our own military intelligence and Israel's own top security people.
Are we so determined to prove to the International Community that we are NOT an honest broker in the Middle East? Or is it one more piece of evidence that the Republican Party is now controlled by the "Israel Amen" corner in Congress and will do anything to sabotage a peaceful outcome to the Natanyahou-engineerd "Destroy Iran" campaign.
BOTH parties with the exception of Ron Paul and Kucinich who both will sadly be gone from CONgress next season.
So, other than to forestall an imminent attack, what incentive is there for Iran to do anything we propose? If they are going to agree to further protocols and inspections, they should have a reasonable expectation of getting something of value in return. Iran has bent over backward to accommodate the US-Israel warmongers, yet has received what for its efforts? ZERO.
When will the world turn this nuclear microscope on Israel?
Yet more proof that the sanctions and the coming war with Iran have absolutely nothing to do with Iran's mythical nuclear weapons program.
What, are you surprised your government wasn't telling you the truth?
Remember, a vote for Obama is a vote for war with Iran. And a vote for Romney is too.
John Glaser
“Punitive sanctions – for a crime Iran has not committed”
IRAN
We will give up our rights in exchange for less imperial brutality.
EMPIRE USA
Iran must give up its rights in exchange for our not stealing its oil fields.
“…rejoin the community of nations…”
The so-called community of nations, meaning the US and its few European puppets, aka NATO members, is an infamous community that Iran would probably never want to be a part of. Iran is already part of the non-aligned community of nations comprising more than 120 countries.
The greatest provocateur of terror, and murder in the world today is the United States government. The BRICS nations are well aware of this, and will ignore the US/EU terror sanctions because they are illegitimate, and are unilateral.
And that's today. By tomorrow, after Dancing With the Stars is over, they'll be denouncing the WMD and threatening to invade again.
It is BD/SM all over. It looks like in Washington and Jerusalem they are watching too much of BD/SM crap. "You are my slave and you will lick my boots only to be happy. " – that's seemingly their thinking. But how they enslave free and independent people? Well, they disobeyed so we will punish them. By crippling sanctions and if that is not to help by WAR OF AGRESSION. I hope that freedom will prevail and I do not care who represent the freedom. War is a peace, truth is a lie over again.
This reminds me of Bush when he kept pitching temper tantrums because he was worried that he wouldn't get his war, and Miss Rice started her war drums. It was all too ugly, and now the same BS is back again. I think that too many people forget history too quickly, and that other ashhoals can't wait for the shock and awe to start so they can cheer, and drag their knuckles on the carpet on the way to get a bag of dorritos, and another beer.