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US Maximum Pressure on Iran: Unchanged Under Biden?

Written by Subject: Iran

US Maximum Pressure on Iran: Unchanged Under Biden?

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Possible normalization of US relations with Iran under Biden is virtually nil.

He's a powerless figurehead president — selected, not elected.

Behind the scenes dark forces manipulate his regime's moves.

On all things Iran, what Israel wants it largely gets.

The Netanyahu regime wants Iran kept in a box.

It wants the myth of an Iranian nuclear threat maintained to continue maximum pressure on the country, its ruling authorities and people.

Will Biden rejoin the landmark JCPOA nuclear deal?

Or was his pledge typical US head fake deception — saying one thing, knowing full well he intends going another way?

Longstanding US/Israeli plans call for redrawing the Middle East map, replacing sovereign independent governments with pro-Western puppet regimes. 

The scheme involves balkanizing Iraq, Syria, Iran and other regional countries for easier control, looting their resources, exploiting their people.

The region already is a cauldron of endless US/NATO/Israeli launched violence and chaos. 

War on Iran would embroil it in greater mass slaughter and destruction. 

It's unlikely because of Iran's military strength ability to hit back hard against foreign aggressors.

Yet it's possible because Israel wants its main regional rival eliminated.

Netanyahu and other Jewish state extremists won't dare attack Iran militarily without US permission and involvement.

The high cost to both countries for going this far prevented aggression against Iran so far.

The US failed to defeat any nation it preemptively attacked throughout the post-WW II period.

Iran's military strength makes it likely to hold its own if preemptively attacked by a foreign aggressor.

It's why Washington waged war on the country by other means alone since its liberating 1979 revolution.

Continuation of the same policy is highly likely ahead — no matter which right wing of the US war party controls the White House and/or Congress.

At this time, the fate of the JCPOA hangs in the balance.

Since taking office on January 20, rhetoric and actions by Biden and hardliners surrounding him suggest continued dirty business as usual against Iran.

Asked if he intends lifting illegally imposed US sanctions on Iran as a good faith first step toward rejoining the JCPOA, Biden said "No."

They'll remain in place unchanged unless Tehran accedes to unacceptable US demands it rejects.

Interviewed by CNN on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif said the following:

"It is very clear. It was the United States that left the deal." 

"It was the United States that violated the deal." 

"It was the United States that punished any country that remained respectful and compliant with the deal." 

"So it is for the United States to return to the deal, to implement its obligations." 

"Iran never left the deal. Iran is in the deal." 

"Iran has reduced some of its commitments in line with the deal" — as legally permitted under JCPOA Articles 26 and 36. 

"The way to go back to full compliance on the part of Iran is for the United States, which has totally left the deal, to come back and implement its obligations."

"Now, it's clear. It's a decision that Biden and his advisers need to take." 

"Whether they want to break with the failed policies of Trump or whether they want to build on his failures." 

"If they want to build on his failures, they will only get failure as a result."

The Biden regime must "lift the sanctions, not waive them." 

"The US needs to remove the sanctions. And compensation was never a pre-condition." 

"We said that we will discuss that once the United States is back in the deal, and that is for a very clear reason."

"The deal or any international agreement is not a revolving door." 

"They cannot simply come and go as they please." 

"So the United States must make it clear and must give guarantees to Iran and other members of the deal that the behavior of Trump will not be repeated."

"Because the international community has suffered enough from the lawlessness of somebody who acts on a whim." 

"You've seen what has happened in the United States. You've seen what has happened in Congress." 

"The people of Iran have felt that for four very, very long years. We're not prepared to feel that again."

"(W)e have a statutory requirement to reduce the presence of UN inspectors, not to completely finish it but to reduce the presence of UN inspectors on somewhere around February 21st." 

"I think what will happen then is that you will not see the additional protocol implemented in Iran." 

"That doesn't mean the window is fully shut because if the United States and its partners return to the deal, return to full compliance, Iran will reverse its actions." 

"All the actions we are taking are reversible."

"But, obviously, it would be much simpler if the United States decided to make good on its commitments earlier rather than later."

"And it is good for the United States' reputation." 

"Because Trump not only destroyed the reputation of the United States domestically, but he destroyed the reputation of the United States internationally." 

"So the sooner the (Biden regime) returns to international obligations, the sooner it can start rebuilding its reputation across the globe." 

Zarif stressed that his government will not renegotiate what was unanimously affirmed by Security Council Res. 2231 on October 18, 2015 — making JCPOA provisions binding international law.

The landmark agreement became effective on January 16, 2016.

Along with P5+1 countries Iran, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany, the US was a signatory to the deal until Trump flagrantly breached international and US constitutional law by illegally pulling out.

That's where things stand now. Scofflaw USA is obligated to return to compliance — with no permitted preconditions.

The Biden regime "cannot base its policy on what's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable," Zarif stressed.

International law supports him and the nation he represents.

The US is contemptuous of the rule of law by repeatedly flouting it in pursuit of its hegemonic aims.

Asked if Iran's (legitimate ballistic missile capabilities — for defense, not offense) are non-negotiable, Zarif stressed:

"The entire nuclear deal is non-negotiable because it was fully negotiated." 

"We need to implement something that we negotiated. We do not buy the horse twice." 

"You put yourselves in our shoes. You agreed to a deal, You agreed to give and take." 

"You agreed to sacrifice certain demands that you had because you agreed not to deal with certain issues."

"For instance, we agreed that the limitations on arms purchases and deliveries for Iran would last for another five years."

"We just ended in October. That cannot be reinvented or renegotiated." 

"The time is gone. We waited for five years." 

"The United States did not implement the deal, but we did implemented the deal, and we did fulfill our promises, and we are going to fulfill our promises again if the United States fulfills its promises." 

"Let's start with something that we agree." 

"We agreed on the JCPOA. The United States should start making good on its promises that it violated for very, very long years for Iranians." 

"You know that the Iranians were deprived of food and medicine (by) Trump despite all the lies that they told the American people."

Iran's position is clear. It's in compliance with its JCPOA and other international law obligations.

The US is a serial lawbreaker. It's in flagrant noncompliance with its JCPOA obligations.

If the Biden regime fails to reverse the unlawful actions of its predecessor on the landmark agreement, it'll likely unravel altogether.

At this time, that's where things appear to be heading.

On all things Iran, the new US regime appears little or no different from its predecessor.

The same holds for its position on other sovereign independent nations free from the scourge of its control.

Under Biden, US forever war on humanity (at home and abroad) will likely continue.

Given what's gone on since early last year into this one, things are more likely to worsen ahead than improve — internationally and at home.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My two Wall Street books are timely reading:

"How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion, and Class War"

https://www.claritypress.com/product/how-wall-street-fleeces-america/

"Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

https://www.claritypress.com/product/banker-occupation-waging-financial-war-on-humanity/

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