In an interview on CNN, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has suggested that there is a possibility for a new nuclear agreement with the United States, laying out the terms of what would be a side agreement to “augment” the existing deal.
The proposal would be a compromise between US demands for a totally new nuclear pact and the rest of the P5+1’s desire to keep the existing, hard-negotiated deal more or less intact.
The deal would insist that the US commit to sanctions relief, and Congress would have to ratify that policy. Iran would agree to sign and ratify the additional protocol to the IAEA, which they had previously voluntarily committed to. On top of that, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would formally ban nuclear weapons under Iranian law.
Khamenei and other top Iranian religious leaders have issued formal religious edicts banning nuclear weapons, which are effectively the law of the land. The US has mostly ignored that, however, and might consider legislation a more proper ban.
It’s not clear what the US position on this deal would be. Getting Congress to ratify any sanctions relief for Iran would be an uphill battle, but at the same time it’s not clear there is anything else the US even could conceivably want that Iran isn’t offering.
Totally wrong about that last sentence… the US wants Iran to not develop ballistic missiles or any weapons for that matter that might be effective deterrence against US/Israeli/Saudi attack, and the US wants Iran to stop its “malign influence,” supporting various sectarian irregular forces, just like the US/Israel/Saudi Arabia do. The Trump admin expects Iran to live in a straitjacket with us as their wardens, so that Sunni factions can dominate the region and democracy can be prevented.
“it’s not clear there is anything else the US even could conceivably want that Iran isn’t offering.”
What the US (government) wants is a hobgoblin in the Middle East to justify its insanely bloated “defense” budget and rally a voter bloc that’s easily convinced the hobgoblin of choice is HIDING UNDER ITS BED WAITING TO KILL IT RIGHT NOW.
There’s nothing the Iranians can offer, other than complete dissolution of their state and an invitation to Washington to install a new puppet regime, to placate the US government.
And even if they offered that, the US government might decide to pretend otherwise and perhaps go to war, rather than have to do the work of drumming up a new hobgoblin.
“it’s not clear there is anything else the US even could conceivably want that Iran isn’t offering.”
Sure. Other than giving up their sovereignty.
The Secretary of State said the United States would halt these plans if Iran met its demands, which are as follows:
“First, Iran must declare to the IAEA a full account of the prior military dimensions of its nuclear program, and permanently and verifiably abandon such work in perpetuity.”
“Second, Iran must stop uranium enrichment and never pursue plutonium reprocessing. This includes closing its heavy water reactor.”
“Third, Iran must also provide the IAEA with unqualified access to all sites throughout the entire country.”
“Iran must end its proliferation of ballistic missiles and halt further launching or development of nuclear-capable missile systems.”
“Iran must release all U.S. citizens, as well as citizens of our partners and allies, each of them detained on spurious charges.”
“Iran must end support to Middle East terrorist groups, including Lebanese Hizballah [Hezbollah], Hamas, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”
“Iran must respect the sovereignty of the Iraqi Government and permit the disarming, demobilization, and reintegration of Shia militias.”
“Iran must also end its military support for the Houthi militia and work towards a peaceful political settlement in Yemen.”
“Iran must withdraw all forces under Iranian command throughout the entirety of Syria.”
“Iran, too, must end support for the Taliban and other terrorists in Afghanistan and the region, and cease harboring senior Al Qaida leaders.”
“Iran, too, must end the IRG [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] Qods Force’s [Quds Force’s] support for terrorists and militant partners around the world.”
“And too, Iran must end its threatening behavior against its neighbors – many of whom are U.S. allies. This certainly includes its threats to destroy Israel, and its firing of missiles into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It also includes threats to international shipping and destructive – and destructive cyberattacks.”
“…but at the same time it’s not clear there is anything else the US even could conceivably want that Iran isn’t offering.” Pompeo (we lie, we cheat, we steal) and the Likudniks who surround Trump want war, pure and simple. Just because you make a deal with a scorpion doesn’t mean that it won’t turn right around and sting you. It’s in their DNA to do that.
Zionism is a perverse racist ideology that knows no borders and has no principles other than continual expansion and aggression. They won’t be happy until they destroy the USA and grind every other nation on the planet to dust. That Trump is too dumb to see this will ultimately be his undoing. Strange times, folks.
That ain’t gonna happen.
The deal-breaker for the US will be any form of sanctions relief. Not to mention that the US wants war with Iran, regardless of what Trump “wants” or thinks he wants (today).
The neocons want Iran back to the good old ” Shah ” days ( 1953-1979 )….CIA got his son in position to take back the power and rule as a western puppet, for the benefits of the Corporations.
I’m not even gonna hinder at what the hell is gonna happen ultimately.
Iran must bend over and think of England.