Biden Continues Trump's Hostile Agenda Toward Iran

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

Since taking office, Biden and hardliners around him have continued Trump's war on Iran by other means.

It suggests more of the same ahead, perhaps escalating things to make an intolerable situation worse.

The US is notorious for saying one thing, then going another way.

It "negotiates" through the barrel of a gun, other hostile actions and threats.

No matter which right wing of its war party runs things, there's virtually no chance for engaging with nations it doesn't control in good faith — just the opposite.

It's clearly true about US intentions toward China, Russia and Iran.

Almost straightaway, Biden breached virtually all campaign promises made.

He notably breached his vow to engage with Iran diplomatically and return to JCPOA compliance.

His actions so far show he can never be trusted going forward. Of course, that was true before taking office by brazen election theft.

On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif tweeted:

"US admits that only after it 'left the JCPOA, Iran has taken steps away while until then' Iran was living up to its limits'

That US behavior—the CAUSE—has not changed

E3 also culpable-no business w/Iran for 3 yrs

US/E3 must remove the cause, NOT ask Iran to stop ¶36 remedies."

Along with continuing Trump's hardline agenda — his all-out war on Iran and its people by other means — Biden regime hardliners are escalating pressure on Iran in cahoots with E3 countries and the IAEA's board of governors.

According to Reuters and Bloomberg News, a document sent by Washington to the nuclear watchdog group calls for issuance of a governing board resolution to "express (its) deepening concern with respect to Iran's cooperation with the IAEA (sic)."

Ignoring Iranian compliance with its JCPOA obligations — in sharp contrast to US/E3 breaches — Biden hardliners want the IAEA's board to falsely accuse Tehran of failing to fulfill what's required under Security Council Res. 2231 and JCPOA provisions.

This and similar unacceptable Biden regime actions show its true intentions toward Iran.

By falsely blaming the country's leadership for its own flagrant JCPOA breaches and unwillingness to reverse them, it's clear that Biden and his hardline geopolitical team have no intention of fulfilling what was pledged while campaigning.

As long as this policy continues unchanged — what's highly likely — US war on Iran by other means will continue.

Things will likely escalate ahead. Chances of saving the JCPOA are fast slipping away.

It's because Biden's toughness toward Iran is no different from Trump's agenda.

In response to what's going on, a paper sent by Iran to other countries said the following:

Tehran "perceives…move(s) (by Biden hardliners in cahoots with the IAEA) as destructive and considers it as an end to the Joint Understanding of 21 February 2021 between the Agency and the Islamic Republic of Iran," pertaining to the Additional Protocol, adding:

It "may lead to further complications in relation with the JCPOA."

While Iran hasn't publicly commented on the above, an unnamed Iranian official reportedly told Nour News that's close to the country's top security body the following:

Biden's "hackneyed behaviors are a continuation of Trump's maximum pressure strategy and unveil the contentious intention of the new US (regime) against Iran."

In discussing the "new US game against Iran," Nour News said its "move to propose an anti-Iranian resolution to the IAEA Board of Governors would turn any possibility of using the capacity of diplomacy to achieve a new situation into a ridiculous joke." 

The Tehran Times quoted International Affairs Professor Stephen Walt saying the following:

If Biden "screws up rejoining the JCPOA by insisting Iran 'make the first move' — even though it was the US that left the deal in 2018 while Iran was still in full compliance — it will be a sign that (his geopolitical team isn't) adept at diplomacy as (its members) claim to be."

It'll be clear that they have no intention of engaging with Iran diplomatically or fulfilling US JCPOA obligations.

If this policy remains unchanged, what's most likely, it's a virtual death sentence for the landmark agreement — despite good faith Iranian and Russian attempts to save it.

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/