Iran Hardliners Circulating List Of 'US Concessions'

Stressing that Iran cannot be allowed to endlessly buy time in Vienna, Lapid expressed Israel’s firm opposition to a return to the deal, adding that it was crucial for the E3 — Germany, France, and the UK — to send a clear message that they would make no further concessions to Iran during the talks.

Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held a phone call with his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr al Busaidi, in which he repeated that if Iran’s red lines are respected, a new phase will start in Vienna.

“We will enter a new stage in Vienna Talks once we receive the US response to Iran’s position [submitted to EU mediators on Monday]، if we're assured that we'll reap economic benefits of the JCPOA and our red lines are met," he said. 

Referring to Oman’s constructive role during the negotiations, Amir-Abdollahian thanked Doha's efforts to bring the views of different parties attending the negotiations closer.

According to IRNA, Oman's foreign minister also expressed hope that with the cooperation of all sides in Vienna, a satisfactory outcome will be reached. 

Referring to ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, Haley said the US should, “not shake hands and do a deal with him” as he is “openly trying to execute Americans on our soil.”

She echoed similar remarks by advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which called for designating Khamenei as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under US Executive Order 13224 and other international terrorism authorities.

Underlining that Khamenei is the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Armed Forces, and the country’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) as well as directly in charge of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the UANI said since Khamenei became supreme leader, the Islamic Republic has “taken multiple foreign citizens hostage,” "ordered terrorist attacks.

UANI mentioned the bombings of Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) and Khobar Towers,” and "attempted mass casualty attacks in Europe where Americans were present,” referring to the failed bombing plot at a gathering of the Albania-based opposition group Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MEK). 

The group also referred to plotted assassinations and attacks against current and former US and foreign officials, including former National Security Advisor John Bolton, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and former US Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook, as well as inciting assassinations and abductions against US citizens and permanent residents, including author Salman Rushdie, and Iranian American dissident Masih Alinejad.

Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor of the Kayhan daily, the flagship hardliner newspaper affiliated with the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei argued on Thursday that no guarantee by the United States is worth the paper it is written on.

“I would dare to say that no guarantee from the United States is reliable” or valid Shariatmadari wrote, recounting the withdrawal of the Trump administration from the 2015 nuclear agreement, the JCPOA.

The ultra-hardliner editor is also Khamenei’s representative at the Kayhan.

As nuclear talks between Iran and the West have reached a critical stage, with the Biden administration reviewing the latest written Iranian response to a European Union text, some Khamenei loyalists continue to make more demands. But Shriatmadari’s article was re-published in most Iranian websites on Wednesday, even those considered to be “reformist’.

Shariatmadari, writing in his Editor’s Note, questioned the value of any US guarantee, a key demand by Iranian negotiators that is still preventing an agreement. Referring to the unilateral withdrawal of the Trump administration from the JCPOA, he said that Washington can again easily renege and abandon any new agreement.

He even fired a shot at foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian for saying that a US verbal guarantee should be presented in writing.

Shariatmadari dismissed this demand, saying that no US guarantee, even endorsed by the UN Security Council, can be trusted.

He argued that the only guarantee for Iran would be wording in the new agreement that it will withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the United States once again abandons a restored JCPOA. He said Iran would be accountable to no one, not even the United Nations, if it decides to leave the NPT.

Leaving the non-proliferation agreement would mean no international monitoring of Iran’s nuclear activities, Shariatmadari said, assuring readers that there would be no consequence for Iran, as article 10 of the treaty allows signatories to withdraw from the agreement.

The Khamenei loyalist also demanded that all US sanctions should be verifiably lifted, not just those imposed since 2018 when former President Donald Trump exited the JCPOA. If sanctions imposed “under hostile and ad hoc labels such as human rights, regional presence or missile program” stay, then it means no sanctions have been removed and new ones can be imposed in the future, Shariatmadari argued.

Since the US presidential election in November 2020, and Biden’s announcement that he would return to the JCPOA, Iran has been demanding the removal of all sanctions, but Washington says it will not lift terrorism and other non-nuclear sanctions.

Iran’s negotiating team “has stood against excessive demands of the rival” so far, but they should “demand the removal of all sanctions in the upcoming agreement,” no matter what their label might be, Shariatmadari said. Otherwise, “Rest assured that practically no sanction can be considered lifted.”

“We are engaged in consultations with the EU, and with our European allies on the way ahead,” Ned Price told a press briefing. The spokesman gave no timeline for a United States input on the Iranian response, given in writing Monday after the EU mediator Enrique Mora on August 8 submitted what he called a “final text.”

“We look at this not through the lens of politics but of national security,” Price said, defending the Biden administration’s approach in the face of criticism from many in Congress.

“We are confident that a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA [the 2015 nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] remains the best, and really the most effective means by which to verify and permanently constrain Iran’s nuclear program,” Price said. “In the years in which we have not had a JCPOA, since May 2018, Iran’s nuclear program has galloped forward…”

Price said with “national security concerns” upmost, the Biden administration saw Congress “as a partner in this endeavor,” and had “routinely” updated lawmakers. “Our foreign policy is going to be much more effective if conducted with the full support of Congress.”

‘Guarantees’ and detainees

After meeting in closed session Wednesday for a briefing by leading officials, Iran parliament members appeared positive over the talks. But reports continue to suggest that Tehran is seeking ‘guarantees’ – both in terms of sanctions and over the readiness of its nuclear program – should the US again leave the JCPOA as it did in 2018 under President Donald Trump.

While Iran’s main concern might be the possible election of a Republican president in 2024, November’s mid-terms, which are deeply unpredictable given the flux of American politics, could see more JCPOA-critics elected.

Price also stressed the “priority” attached by the administration to the release of American-Iranians detained in Iran. Citing “what we have heard from Iran recently,” Price declined to comment on “the specifics” of contacts with Tehran over a potential prisoner swap, noting the US did not want to do “anything that could jeopardize, or slow…the release of Americans who are wrongfully detained in Iran.”

While both Iran and the US deny any link between a prisoner swap and the JCPOA talks, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said earlier Wednesday that Tehran was ready for an “immediate agreement” to secure the freedom of “innocent Iranians…[jailed] on false charges of violating the cruel and illegal sanctions of the United States…[so they could be] released and quickly return to their families.”

Price on Tuesday was among several US officials who reiterated the call for the release of Americans jailed in Iran, highlighting the case of Siamak Namazi on his 2,500th day in jail.

Some of the opinions expressed in an interview by Saeed Laylaz, an economic columnist turned politician, were so controversial that that the Etemad newspaper in a rare move had to distance itself from it and put a disclaimer saying, the opinions expressed were totally those of the interviewee and did not necessarily conform to the views of the daily's editors.

Laylaz said among other things that "Peace comes out of gun barrels, not out of agreements," and opined that "the know-how of making nuclear bombs is Iran's geopolitical shield." Meanwhile, he said that "all possible achievements of an agreement about the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal would be temporary."

Meanwhile, a prominent reformist politician, Former Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh told the daily's website, Etemad Online, that mainstream reformists in Iran disagree with Laylaz and believe in an agreement with the United States.

Laylaz said that the revival of the JCPOA in its current form is not in the interest of the Islamic Republic. "I hope the Iranian side refuses to sign the JCPOA," he said, adding that a temporary agreement is the best substitute for the JCPOA.

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In one of the most controversial parts of the interview, Laylaz said that "Under the current circumstances an Iran capable of making nuclear bombs would be a safer country."

Meanwhile, expounding on the Islamic Republic's ongoing economic crisis, he said that good governance and a campaign against financial corruption will solve the country's problems. Laylaz attributed Iran's economic vows to mismanagement rather than the impact of US sanctions and said some of the cases of financial corruption in Iran are tantamount to outright theft. Laylaz attributed 80 percent of Iran's economic problems to financial corruption.

However, he acknowledged that former US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran has had a devastating impact worse than the Mongol invasion of Persia. He added that even the current US administration is aware that the next administration will most certainly nullify any agreement with Iran.

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Laylaz said Iran wants the agreement with the United States for two purposes: An economic purpose and a security purpose. But an agreement with the US will not serve any one of these two purposes. From an economic point of view, the West is not going to give any technology to Iran as long as Iran is a revolutionary Islamic country. He added: "In a country from where around $20 billions of capital exits every year, it is foolish to look for $2 billion dollars of foreign investment. We need to prevent the flight of capital from Iran."

Meanwhile, he argued that as soon as Iran signs an agreement with the West, the price of oil will come down, denying Iran any gain from a possible agreement. He added that even with an agreement, Iran's economic problems will reoccur within 6 months.

Laylaz also opined that in terms of security, an agreement will not solve Iran's problems because the West does not want a revolutionary Iran, while reaching a nuclear weapons capability will provide the deterrence Iran needs.

Asked what happens if Iran refuses to sign an agreement and its nuclear case goes to the UN Security Council? Laylaz said, "nothing will happen to Iran as long as Russia and China are UNSC member states. We should not be afraid of the trigger mechanism in the JCPOA. Let me tell you, this gun has no trigger. The United States has already tried everything against Iran, all in vain."