The deal is done, so everyone can stop carping and go home. Barack Obama clearly feels that he has further cemented his legacy of brilliant foreign policy maneuvers and restoring peace to the planet by having John Kerry work out an agreement with Iran regarding their nuclear weapons program … er, I mean, their peaceful nuclear power program , which could last for up to five, eight or ten years. (Or could end tomorrow if the Iranians get tired of yanking our chains.)

But on the plus side, at least our relations with the reclusive nation have improved, right? This should signal some thawing in tensions in the region and a more open stance with western powers. Just ask Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Obviously the deal couldn’t have gone through without having him on board, so it’s good to see him singing our praises. (Via Fox News)

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that a historic nuclear deal reached with world powers earlier this week won’t have any effect on Iran’s policy toward the U.S. Khamenei said in a televised speech that U.S. policy in the Middle East runs counter to Tehran’s strategy and that Iran will continue to support its allies in the Middle East including the Lebanese, Hezbollah, Palestinian resistance groups and the Syrian government. “Our policy towards the arrogant U.S. government won’t change at all,” he said. He was addressing a large crowd in Tehran, broadcast live on state TV, to mark the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

No matter what Iran’s powerless spokesperson, President Hassan Rouhani, may say, it seems that nothing has changed inside the real power pool of Iran. No release of American prisoners. No alteration of support for terror groups. And most certainly, no changes in the fundamental stance toward the Great Satan. Fortunately there are some international media outlets who cover the speeches and comings and goings of Iran’s leaders and that news occasionally filters through to us. (From The Star)

In an speech at a Tehran mosque punctuated by chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”, Khamenei said he wanted politicians to examine the agreement to ensure national interests were preserved, as Iran would not allow the disruption of its revolutionary principles or defensive abilities. An arch conservative with the last word on high matters of state, Khamenei repeatedly used the phrase “whether this text is approved or not”, implying the accord has yet to win definitive backing from Iran’s factionalised political establishment… “The Americans dub the Lebanese resistance terrorists and regard Iran as a supporter of terrorism because of its support for the Lebanese Hezbollah, while the Americans themselves are the real terrorists who have created Islamic State and support the wicked Zionists,” Khamenei said.

Nothing has changed. And as far as I can tell, nothing is going to change. Whatever it was that we got out of this deal, the Iranians seem pretty darned happy about it. And in the end, that’s all you really need to know to see that this didn’t work out well at all.