Western Hypocrisy on Iran’s Nuclear Rights

by Stephen Lendman

According to senior Iranian legislator Esmayeel Kosari:

Western nations recognize Iran’s legitimate “nuclear rights, and they have no way out but to continue negotiati(ing).”

Nonetheless, multiple rounds achieved nothing. Moscow June 18 and 19 talks ended in failure. Washington and Israel are obstructionist. Britain, France and other Western states agree to policies harming their own interests.

They demand Iran relinquish rights enjoyed by dozens of other nations with commercial nuclear programs.

On June 19, The New York Times headlined “Setback in Talks on Iran’s Nuclear Program in a ‘Gulf of Mistrust,’ “ saying:

“Talks on Iran’s disputed nuclear program descended into mistrust and frustration in Moscow on Tuesday, casting doubt on whether the two sides can negotiate a way out of the escalating crisis.”

European foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said intractable difference remain. Negotiators didn’t commit to more talks. Technical experts will meet next month. They’ll decide if more negotiations are warranted.

Iran wants its legitimate rights respected and all unjust sanctions removed. They were unjustly imposed in the first place.

Washington and Israel yield nothing. Neither do go along Western partners.

Their intransigence produced deadlock. Their alleged concerns about Iran’s nuclear program is sham cover for longstanding regime change plans.

Denigrating Tehran’s legitimate right to produce nuclear power in accordance with NPT provisions is a pretext for planned aggression.

An unnamed US official said more sanctions are coming. New ones take effect July 1. They include an oil embargo and prohibition on insurance for ships carrying Iranian oil. Others are in prospect.

Lead Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili said:

Iran’s legitimate rights aren’t negotiable. “(T)here is no reason or excuse to have doubt regarding the peaceful aims of Iran’s nuclear program.”

US intelligence and IAEA inspectors found no reason to doubt him. Yet harsh criticism continues.

RAND Corporation Iran specialist Alireza Nader believes talks may collapse. At some point, both sides may conclude that future negotiations are fruitless. Three failed rounds suggest it.

Western demands are one-sided. Nothing is offered in return. Iran’s legitimate rights are called “defiant.” No one would accede to these terms.

Former senior Middle East White House advisor Dennis Ross called negotiations a trap. He echoed comments from 44 Republican and Democrat senators. Their joint statement to Obama urged ending negotiations. They want tougher steps taken.

Multiple rounds let Iran advance its program, said Ross. Major powers should scrap its step-by-step approach. Comprehensive demands should replace it. It could also hasten military confrontation.

Deadlock assures it. Obama wants it. So do Romney and Republican hawks. Expect it post-November. It’s planned. It’s coming. It threatens world peace. It’s shocking how indifferent US leaders are to its potential devastating consequences.

Anti-Iranian propaganda promotes it. So do spurious claims. Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) claims Iran has enough enriched uranium for at least five nuclear bombs.

It also said satellite imagery shows Iran “destroy(ed) evidence” at its Parchin facility before allowing IAEA inspectors access.

So called evidence suggests buildings were demolished and alleged contaminated soil was removed. Neither claim holds water. New facilities replace old ones or expand what previously existed.

Remediating contaminated soil entirely is impossible. Easily detected residues remain. Nonetheless, ISIS claimed:

Imagery “shows heavy machinery tracks and earth displacement throughout the site.”

Debris from one building was “consolidated into piles.”

“There is evidence of earth moving machinery and excavation activity near the second demolished building north of the building suspected to contain the high explosive testing chamber.”

David Albright heads ISIS. More on him below.

He said “something has taken place (at Panchin), and they are trying to hide it.”

No evidence whatever suggests it. Saying so is spurious. Iran called his accusations “childish” and “ridiculous.”

Allbright added:

“If Iran has nothing to hide, its activities at this site add a further layer of suspicion and negatively impact efforts to build confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”

A previous article exposed Allbright. It bears repeating.

He heads ISIS. He impersonates a nuclear expert. He’s a former pseudo-UN weapons inspector. Former Iraq chief weapons inspector Scott Ritter called him a “nuclear expert who never was.”

His “track record (reveals) half-baked analyses derived from questionable sources….He breathes false legitimacy into these factually challenged stories by” claiming fake credentials.

He founded ISIS. It’s self-serving. It shuns truth. He fronts for power, privilege, and war profiteers. He’s part of Washington’s anti-Iranian agenda. In Iraq, he played the same role. He’s a pro-imperial opportunist.

In June 1996, he appeared once as as a pseudo-Iraq weapons inspector. His role was political, not scientific. He observed and regurgitated what Washington wanted to hear. He’s doing it now on Iran. His credibility is sorely lacking. He has none.

Claiming Iran can produce five bombs is inflammatory and misleading. All nations with commercial reactors produce enough uranium and plutonium for bomb-making.

Only a handful, in fact, do it. No evidence suggests Iran is one of them. Saying so is outrageous.

Israel’s been thoroughly briefed on all negotiating rounds. Hawkish Netanyahu officials said the clock is ticking after failed Moscow talks.

President Shimon Peres said:

“There’s not much time. If the Iranians….don’t heed the warnings, the calls and the economic sanctions, the world will look to other options.”

Israel is nuclear armed and dangerous. It’s a nuclear outlaw. It rejects NPT provisions. It’s not criticized. It stockpiles nuclear weapons and long-range delivery systems. It threatens humanity. World leaders yawn.

On June 19, a Washington Post editorial headlined “A nuclear impasse with Iran,” saying:

“(I)mpasse….should surprise no one.”

“….Iranian envoys continued to resist a proposal for an interim deal that would stop the most dangerous parts of the program in exchange for” virtually nothing.

“….Iran countered with maximalist demands for the lifting of sanctions and recognition of its right to enrich uranium.”

Fact check

“Dangerous” is code language for Iran’s legitimate rights.

So is “maximalist demands.” Dozens of other nations with commercial nuclear programs have them. Western states don’t order them or each other to relinquish them. Why Iran?

Obama should concede nothing. He “should resist any effort by Russia or other members of the international coalition to weaken the steps that Iran must take, or to grant Tehran major sanctions relief for partial concessions.”

He “should continue to reject recognition of an Iranian ‘right’ to enrich uranium.”

In other words, he should defy international and constitutional law by spurning Iran’s legitimate rights. Post editorial writers stopped just short of urging war.

Ray Takeyh is a Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow. His June 15 Washington Post op-ed headlined “Negotiating a nuclear bomb.”

Despite no evidence suggesting an Iranian military nuclear program, Takeyh said Tehran’s “current path to the bomb is perilous.” Its policies are “defian(t).

Intrusive inspections can’t detect everything. “As Iran’s nuclear facilities grow in scope and sophistication, (perfecting) centrifuges that operate with efficiency at high velocity (then) require(s) only a limited number of such machines to quickly enrich weapons-grade material.”

Operations “can easily be (done) surreptitious(ly to) avoid detection.”

Diplomacy won’t “resolve the (Iranian) nuclear conundrum….” Severe restrictions on its program must be imposed.

Takeyh claims that despite Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s repeated opposition to nuclear weapons development that through “persistence and patience” he’ll produce them.

Military action may follow. Takeyh appears to be one of many Western stalking horses enlisted to incite it. Doing so ignores global dangers no one should risk.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at [email protected]

His new book is titled “How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War”

http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

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