Last week Iran launched an assault on the United States. Not a military attack, but a full scale, all-out, charm attack.
Rouhani was laser-focused on the two messages he wanted to get across to the American voters:
1. Iran has “no interest in nuclear weapons”; therefore there is no justification for the economic sanctions, which are “only hurting the innocent civilians and not the leadership”.
2. Iran has every legal and moral right to enrich Uranium for ‘peaceful’ purposes, though he didn’t specify to what level.
3. Iran is ready to take “confidence building measures” to convince the West of its peaceful intentions.
Since Rouhani can only parrot the policies of Iranian Supreme Leader Aly Khamenei, there are two possible reasons for this sudden apparent about-face by the latter:
1. The sanctions are, in fact, crippling Iran’s economy and potentially endangering the regime.
2. Iran is now within weeks of building one or more nuclear weapons, or has already done so.
Though Rouhani could not find time to meet with President Obama, one of his behind-closed-doors meetings last week was with a group of top US and European business leaders and investors. The opportunities he offered were tantalizing and highly profitable…providing the sanctions are lifted.
In the meantime Secretary of State John Kerry and G5 +1 team, which has been negotiating for years with Iran on stopping its nuclear weapons program, met with the Iranian foreign minister in what was described as a constructive and positive meeting. They reportedly, agreed to continue negotiations “over the next year”, though there was no mention of Iran stopping enrichment or handing over existing stockpiles in the interim.
It looks like the US is preparing to stand down the F-16s and B-2s; close the cruise-missile hatches and send the carriers, assault ships and destroyers home. It looks like US military action against Iran is all but off the table for at least a year. And all because a smiling, amicable, highly sophisticated Shiite cleric lied through his teeth and set a honeypot trap that worked! The Israelis are very concerned.
Just who is Hassan Rouhani?
Defined as the “ultimate insider” Rouhani, 64, has been part of the Islamist Revolution in Iran from the start.
• He joined Grand Ayatollah Khomeini in exile in Paris, and returned with him to Iran in 1979.
• Upon Khomeini’s death in 1989, Rouhani swore allegiance to the new and current Supreme Leader.
• He is a high ranking Shiite cleric (Mujtahid) and lawyer, with a PhD. from Caledonian University in Glasgow
• Some of his positions over the past 30 years:
- 5 Term member of the Iranian parliament. Chair of the powerful Defense Committee.
- Deputy Commander of the War during the Iran-Iraq conflict.
- Commander of the Air Defense Forces.
- National Security Advisor to two presidents
- Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council for 16 years – responsible for overseeing development and expansion of the nuclear weapons program.
- Head of the Center for Strategic Research
Rouhani is a brilliant negotiator who brags that he succeeded in dragging out talks with the G5+1 over years while Iran continued to build nuclear enrichment and weaponization facilities.
Deeply involved in the Iranian nuclear weapons program at the highest levels for almost 20 years, Rouhani will not compromise Iran and the Shiite world’s best chance, after 700 years of persecution and humiliation, at respect, honor and regional dominance. Besides, Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders won’t let him.
And yet the honeypot trap worked…for the time being.
Agree or disagree, that’s my opinion.
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