On Wednesday, the State Department said that reviving the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, is “not our focus now,” as negotiations with Tehran have been stalled since the beginning of September.
State Department spokesman Ned Price blamed the Iranians for the impasse, but the Biden administration has been increasing sanctions on Iran, signaling that they’re not serious about restoring the JCPOA.
“A deal certainly does not appear imminent … Nothing we’ve heard in recent weeks suggests they have changed their position,” Price said.
Price said that Washington’s main “focus” right now concerning Iran is the protests that have been going on inside the country that was sparked by the death of a Kurdish-Iranian woman in police custody. The US has issued sanctions on Iran over Tehran’s response to the demonstrations and has expressed support for the protesters.
The US had adjusted some sanctions to give Iranian protesters more internet access, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said he was “activating” Starlink satellite internet inside Iran. But to access the internet using Starlink, a user would need a terminal, and it’s not clear at this point if the US has made any effort to smuggle them inside the country.
In an interview earlier this month, CIA Director William Burns was asked if the US government would help get terminals inside Iran. “Well, the US government has made very clear our support for the free flow of information and freedom of the internet, so without going into any details, I think the United States is very committed to that,” he said.
When asked if the US was getting involved in the protests, Burns said, “All I can say is we are going to continue to be strongly supportive as a government in the free flow of information.”
It never was. Now they can only hope their internal manufactured revolution will topple the mullas. They should’ve never sold out Soleimani to the Trump administration.
I don’t understand, they have a lot of oil which we kinda need. Regime might be in trouble at the moment and I suppose we don’t want to hand them any victories.
Not kinda need. Want to kinda to control. Try to keep up with the logic of the Hegemon.
Not kinda need. Want to kinda to control. Try to keep up with the logic of the Hegemon.
Right, because their focus is the war with Russia AND trying to start another war with China. Can we stop pretending the state department does ANY diplomacy at all these days? Let’s just change its name to the war department.
Amen. My biggest gripe with this crappy administration, they don’t even make a pretense of supporting diplomacy. Instead it’s threats of war and war itself.
Is the protest against the theocracy all because of oppression of women? … do US sanctions have nothing to do with it?
Without US sanctions, the mullahs would have been strung up from lamp-posts long ago.
Sadly you’re probably right. Same as here, metro youth have no understanding of hiatory & traditional culture; prefer the latest Apple kewpie dolls.
Kinda like 1953, only by Iranians this time. Right?
Kinda like 1979, only secular this time.
If the US regime lifted all its sanctions tomorrow and said “WE will no longer try to stop you from wearing yoga pants, posting tit/dick pics on Instagram, traveling to Boston for nips and tucks, and selling your cashews to faux gourmets in Sacramento and your rugs to YouTube influencers in Boise — talk to YOUR rulers about that,” Khameini would be racing for the airport ahead of a mob before the next week’s NFL scores were final.
The regieme has the support of a large secret police apparatus
Just like all regimes. They’d go down too. Or join the movement.
“All I can say is we are going to continue to be strongly supportive as a government in the free flow of information.” Despite the size of this earth shaking lie, I don’t hear any thunder or lightening.
September 19, 2017: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly address: “Israel’s policy regarding the nuclear deal with Iran is very simple – change it or cancel it, fix it or nix it.”
Crap…! The focus is on election and re-election…!
Sure, we are focusing on the protests. You can bet your bippy that the CIA is stirring that pot.
“The US has issued sanctions on Iran over Tehran’s response to the demonstrations and has expressed support for the protesters.”
While continuing the $4 billion gift even though Israel shoots protesters dead whether woman, children or even those in wheelchairs. And when they murdered the female American/Palestinian journalist there was nary a peep about any sanctions.
Again,why is the journalist’s life any more or less valuable than that of any non combatant who gets killed in this conflict?
It’s not that the journalist’s life is “more valuable” than the lives of the other victims.
It’s that the purpose of murdering the journalist is to cover up the other murders.
There are plenty murders perpetrated by both sides,but the casual murder of Israelis is ignored,poo-pooed, or spoken of as national liberation.
It’s obviously “less” according to our reaction to what Iran did and what Israel did. I was asking for consistency.
That is until now Biden’s only OPEC revenge.
Looks like Tel Aviv has given Uncle Joe his marching orders.
Very astute. 🙂
Biden campaigned on returning to JCPOA. Once elected……………….
You keep spelling the name wrong: Bye-Done!