{"id":150925,"date":"2015-05-14T11:46:00","date_gmt":"2015-05-14T11:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/?guid=1fcad60213f3d7905d7413695566daa7"},"modified":"2015-05-14T13:50:41","modified_gmt":"2015-05-14T13:50:41","slug":"usiranian-relations-back-square-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/editorials\/usiranian-relations-back-square-one\/","title":{"rendered":"US\/Iranian Relations: Back to Square One?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>by Stephen Lendman<\/p>\n<p>(<a href=\"http:\/\/rinf.com\">RINF<\/a>) &#8211; US concerns about Iran&#8217;s well-known peaceful nuclear program were always red herring cover for its real aim &#8211; regime change, replacing Iranian sovereignty with stooge governance Washington controls.<\/p>\n<p>However P5+1 one talks conclude by around end of June, US business as usual remains unchanged.<\/p>\n<p>Washington wants Iranian independence destroyed. Israel wants its main regional rival eliminated, ideally balkanized into impotent mini-states under Western control.<\/p>\n<p>In an interview with Saudi Arabian owned and operated Al Arabiya News, Obama declared Iran a &#8220;state sponsor of terrorism&#8221; &#8211; months after National Intelligence director James Clapper said this designation no longer applied to Tehran.<\/p>\n<p>In his annual report to the US Senate, he highlighted Iran&#8217;s &#8220;intentions to dampen sectarianism, build responsive partners, and deescalate tensions with Saudi Arabia.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Obama reversed policy by outrageously claiming &#8220;Iran clearly engages in dangerous and destabilizing behavior in different countries across the region. Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It &#8220;supports Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It aids the Houthi rebels in Yemen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;So countries in the region are right to be deeply concerned about Iran\u2019s activities, especially its support for violent proxies inside the borders of other nations.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When it comes to Iran\u2019s future, I cannot predict Iran\u2019s internal dynamics. Within Iran, there are leaders and groups that for decades have defined themselves in opposition to both the United States and our regional partners.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not counting on any nuclear deal to change that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif blasted Obama&#8217;s remarks saying &#8220;(t)he US has resorted to projecting blame on others in order to appease its regional allies.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Obama&#8217;s &#8220;statements are merely a repetition of his previous unfounded accusations to appease his allies&#8221; &#8211; Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our policies in the region are based on consolidating friendship and cooperation as well as conducting responsible acts to reinforce stability and guarantee regional security.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham responded to John Kerry claiming Iran seeks regional destabilization, saying:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The allegations of certain US officials about what they call &#8216;Iran&#8217;s destabilizing acts in the region&#8217; are completely rejected.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Instability in the region is rooted in the foreign interference in the region&#8217;s affairs and this (foreign meddling) threatens security and stability and prevents deep cooperation and strong and constructive interaction based on mutual interests among the regional states.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Afkham blasted Washington hypocrisy &#8211; its double standard approach to terrorist groups, supporting the region&#8217;s most extremist exponents.<\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, John Kerry lied saying &#8220;Iran needs to recognize that the United States is not going to stand by while the region is destabilized or while people engage in over warfare across lines &#8211; international boundaries &#8211; in other countries.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Iran is the region&#8217;s leading proponent of peace, stability and mutual cooperation among all nations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div><b>US\/Iranian Relations: Back to Square One?<\/b><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>by Stephen Lendman<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>US concerns about Iran&#8217;s well-known peaceful nuclear program were always red herring cover for its real aim &#8211; regime change, replacing Iranian sovereignty with stooge governance Washington controls.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>However P5+1 one talks conclude by around end of June, US business as usual remains unchanged.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Washington wants Iranian independence destroyed. Israel wants its main regional rival eliminated, ideally balkanized into impotent mini-states under Western control.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>In an interview with Saudi Arabian owned and operated <a href=\"http:\/\/english.alarabiya.net\/en\/News\/middle-east\/2015\/05\/13\/Obama-says-Iran-is-a-state-sponsor-of-terrorism-.html\"><span>Al Arabiya News<\/span><\/a>, Obama declared Iran a &#8220;state sponsor of terrorism&#8221; &#8211; months after National Intelligence director James Clapper said this designation no longer applied to Tehran.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>In his annual report to the US Senate, he highlighted Iran&#8217;s &#8220;intentions to dampen sectarianism, build responsive partners, and deescalate tensions with Saudi Arabia.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Obama reversed policy by outrageously claiming &#8220;Iran clearly engages in dangerous and destabilizing behavior in different countries across the region. Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>It &#8220;supports Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It aids the Houthi rebels in Yemen.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>&#8220;So countries in the region are right to be deeply concerned about Iran&rsquo;s activities, especially its support for violent proxies inside the borders of other nations.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>&#8220;When it comes to Iran&rsquo;s future, I cannot predict Iran&rsquo;s internal dynamics. Within Iran, there are leaders and groups that for decades have defined themselves in opposition to both the United States and our regional partners.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>&#8220;I&#8217;m not counting on any nuclear deal to change that.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif blasted Obama&#8217;s remarks saying &#8220;(t)he US has resorted to projecting blame on others in order to appease its regional allies.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Obama&#8217;s &#8220;statements are merely a repetition of his previous unfounded accusations to appease his allies&#8221; &#8211; Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>&#8220;Our policies in the region are based on consolidating friendship and cooperation as well as conducting responsible acts to reinforce stability and guarantee regional security.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham responded to John Kerry claiming Iran seeks regional destabilization, saying:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>&#8220;The allegations of certain US officials about what they call &#8216;Iran&#8217;s destabilizing acts in the region&#8217; are completely rejected.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>&#8220;Instability in the region is rooted in the foreign interference in the region&#8217;s affairs and this (foreign meddling) threatens security and stability and prevents deep cooperation and strong and constructive interaction based on mutual interests among the regional states.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Afkham blasted Washington hypocrisy &#8211; its double standard approach to terrorist groups, supporting the region&#8217;s most extremist exponents.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>On Wednesday, John Kerry lied saying &#8220;Iran needs to recognize that the United States is not going to stand by while the region is destabilized or while people engage in over warfare across lines &#8211; international boundaries &#8211; in other countries.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Iran is the region&#8217;s leading proponent of peace, stability and mutual cooperation among all nations.<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1217,"featured_media":140869,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[461,519],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-150925","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-editorials","8":"category-newswire"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1217"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150925"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150925\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/140869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}