Let's talk Iran - December 19, 2021
Statement on Improving the Potential for a Diplomatic Resolution to the Iran Nuclear Challenge
-The Vienna negotiations are in danger of becoming a cover for Iran to move toward achieving a threshold nuclear weapons capability.
-Iran’s behavior continues to indicate that it not only wants to preserve a nuclear weapons option but is actively moving toward developing that capability..
-Iran’s decision to enrich uranium to 60 percent and to produce uranium metal has no justifiable civilian purpose, as emphasized by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.
-Iran could accumulate, in a matter of months, enough uranium enriched to 60 percent and enough technical knowledge about the enrichment process that would make constraints, as currently conceived, largely irrelevant.
-Without convincing Iran it will suffer severe consequences if it stays on its current path, there is little reason to hope for the success of diplomacy.
-It is essential to clarify what Tehran stands to gain is restoring Iran’s fear that it will suffer severe consequences if it refuses. The time to act is now. LINK
To get Iran to change its behavior, the Biden team must engage with Congress
Instead of working to adopt a new deal from a position of weakness, the Biden team should engage Congress and return to a position of strength by readopting the maximum pressure strategy pursued by the Trump administration.
Iran has far more resources than it had available just a year ago to finance its nuclear program and campaign of terrorism because of the Biden administration’s refusal to enforce sanctions.
House conservatives will work day and night to reimpose sanctions on Iran absent an agreement that meets the 12 demands found in the Republican Study Committee’s bill, the Maximum Pressure Act, which has over 100 co-sponsors and growing. With the political pendulum likely to swing in 2022 and 2024, we will prevail. LINK
Iran nuclear talks go back to the future
Senior State Dept official on Iran talks:
—What is on the table now is “an agenda of issues to be examined, not a set of solutions to be accepted.”
—Sanctions lifting not been main focus during 7th round of talks. “We haven’t gotten to that point yet.” LINK
Israeli Defense Officials Cast Doubt on Threat to Attack Iran
Senior Israeli defense official: If Iran were to begin enriching uranium to 90 percent purity, weapons-grade fuel, Israel would be obliged to intensify its actions. American officials have said Iran is currently enriching uranium up to 60 percent purity. LINK
Israeli Officials Believe Iran Talks Headed for 'Controlled Conflict' or Interim Deal
Israeli sources believe parties won't return to the original agreement signed in 2015, and that the international community faces two possible outcomes instead:
The first being a blowup of the talks that would lead to a controlled crisis with Iran that would persist for a long period. Such a situation might eventually bring a more flexible Iran back to the negotiating table. The second path would be an interim agreement in the coming weeks between Iran and world powers that includes partial understandings about Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran has made clear that it opposes such an agreement at this point however, and it is unclear what it might include. LINK
Iran’s Latest Agreement With IAEA Likely Another Example of ‘Playing for Time’
We will not know details of Iran's secretive nuclear program unless the regime is forced to adopt much greater transparency as a result of coordinated, multi-lateral pressure. LINK
Opinion: The right Plan B for the moribund Iran nuclear deal
Sensing American weakness, Russia is pushing at the Ukraine border and China is threatening Taiwan — even as Iran is accelerating its nuclear program. It’s all part of the same story. For a Biden administration that has hit an impasse in trying to contain Iran’s surging nuclear program, this week offered a lesson in what can actually make Tehran back down — the threat of global condemnation by the International Atomic Energy Agency. LINK
U.S. Report on Iran's Terrorism Reminds Of Tehran’s Increasing Threats
History shows a weak approach toward a rogue regime will increase their hostilities. The right path forward is imposing genuine sanctions and ending appeasement vis-a-vis the mullahs. LINK
Iran secretly executes Kurd political prisoner Heidar Ghorbani on bogus charges of “armed rebellion against the state” despite a faulty trial and international requests to stop his execution. LINK
Iran: Leila Hosseinzadeh calls home after 11 days of being held incommunicado
Informed sources say she had been held incommunicado in an intelligence department detention center called “No. 100,” where she had been beaten and brutalized. LINK
