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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.U.S. prods Iran for talks to ease Gulf tensions; Tehran dismisses sanctions threat
By Parisa Hafezi and Lesley Wroughton DUBAI/WASHINGTON©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
85 Comments
SuperLib
We already had that. Now they are talking about enriching again. You took things in the exact opposite direction and you obviously have no plans to fix the situation you got us into.
And you're making Obama look like the greatest diplomat who ever walked the face of the earth. He got the job done. Why can't you?
CrazyJoe
Let's just get this out of the way now. Mike Pompeo was never taken seriously in DC and he is not competent to even have a seat in the room, much less at the table when it comes to foreign policy. Good God, when will this nightmare be over?
MAGA: Morons Are Grifting America
IloveCoffee
Trump's way of thinking is to cause a rapid escalation of tensions through unlawful sanctions or other form of provocation in order to make the other side want to negotiate with him, then he "agrees" to negotiate, and signs some sort of a deal that makes him look like hero.
He did the same with Mexico and NAFTA. First he escalated the tensions between the two countries, then he pretended to have negotiated a better deal which he praised as the greatest deal ever negotiated in the history of the world, when in fact the new deal he negotiated was literally 99% identical to the previous one.
He did the same thing with North Korea.
He is doing the same thing with China and Iran right now.
Increasing tensions is what the neocons want, so he is giving them what they want to keep them satisfied for the time being hoping the other side will cave in and come to negotiate with him. I am afraid this tactic might backfire when it comes to Iran.
I had some hope for Trump at first, but the more i observe this man the more confident i get that his obsession with image and reputation will not allow him to do what is right for the US and the world. He is ultra sensitive to his image. He is driven by a strong urge to appear good and heroic. He wants to "re-negotiate" every deal just so he can put his name on the new deals, even if their content is the same. He wants to be seen as a great winner. And this drive has put him in a corner when it comes to the US economy, because on one hand, he claims the economy is booming, this is the greatest economy ever, but on the other hand, his administration is urging for more stimulus and a new doze of QE, those are all measures for a weak economy. The deficits are also highest they have ever been, homelessness is increasing, and there are a bunch of other indicators that proves the economy is not booming at all. Trump probably knows this, but he needs to maintain the narrative and the lie that it is.
He is a very rich businessman, he didn't need to become a president, and at his age, he could've afford to take some bold and necessary measures that will benefit the economy, even if knowing he will become very hated and will never get re-elected, but his obsession with being seen as a great winner makes him do what every other president did, which is make things worse and keep kicking the can down the road.
Deadforgood
Why was the deal bad?
So just Trump is stupid. Good, we agree on something.
No, because we can't just nuke the country. A war with Iran would be long, and deadly.
You're captain's team does. Bolton and Pompeo both want to start a war with Iran.
Chip Star
If you truly didn't want a nuclear Iran, you wouldn't have cheered Donny ripping up the agreement that prevented it and then trying to choke its economy.
Chip Star
This is the crux of the issue. Donny shoots off at the mouth and gets us into these situations without any actual plan. He then blames the "the problem he caused on Obama and "fixes" it. The deplorables eat it up.
Chip Star
Sure. Just look at the two wars Bush II started. Iran is far more militarily sophisticated than Iraq and Afghanistan.
dbsaiya
One should always look at it from the perspective of orange man's ego. What feeds it and how can it feed his personal gain. There was already a deal / treaty in place. He tore it up because it was "Obama's deal." He can't stand Obama by the way unless you haven't noticed. Mexico pay for the wall deal? Nada. NK deal? Nada. Repeal, replace ACA? Nada. Aaaah, he has succeeded in one, the tax cut deal. One problem though, that one was for him, not the populace. So, he needs a deal for the art of the deal guy. Create a crisis, and try to strike a deal and make yourself look like a compassionate but tough guy all for the election. It's all in plain sight, this guy reads like a cartoon.
wtfjapan
he might just have saved the world from nuclear war and he's not going to get any credit for it.
credit for what!? diffusing a situation he instigated, can't go to nuclear war if your adversaries dont have nukes yet, more dramatisation by the Trumpophiles
Deadforgood
They don't know anything. Trump is the only one who is smart enough to inspect the nuclear production facilities in Iran. In fact, he's so smart, he doesn't even need to go or see it. He's like Santa, he knows if you've been bad or good.
Deadforgood
Great, and here is a short list of some of his failures. Not sure what you hope to prove. Funny how his "accomplishments" are all listed as failing later on here too.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/dnc-list-110-trump-failures-at-2-year-mark-only-getting-worse
oldman_13
Take that dumb hat off already
plasticmonkey
This is all so absurd. There was a deal in place. If there were any problems with it, they could have been negotiated from that starting point. Instead, Trump pulls out and spoils everything.
This is Trump’s mess now. He owns it.
drlucifer
And what is the assessment ?
The World is not that Dumb as this fool thinks.
Toasted Heretic
It's the 80s revival that keeps on giving. The propaganda machines chugging out the same old rubbish to get the people riled up. In both countries.
The Great Satan welches on the deal, goads and threatens and gaslights until Iran lashes out, thus clearing the way for an all out war.
But Iran is a big, big country. And a conflict with it could last a long time, with many, many casualties. And it is not Iraq.
But the hawks want war. Nevermind the losses, the refugees, the possibilty of another ISIS.
Deadforgood
Lol, really? How are the recent events escalating towards war the far lefts fault? Pretty sure every decision made has been Trump. Or are you saying that Trump is incompetent and being pushed around and ordered by the far left?
wtfjapan
The president didn’t put any mines on the oil tankers.
oh its convenient to forget Trump canceled the Uranium deal the Iranians were following and put economic sanctions on them because of a deal Trump broke. Mines on tankers, WMD in Iraq. oh how the gullible are easily fooled
nishikat
I forgot brick sales for the next 100 years. That's how long it will take to build it (look at China's Great Wall)
The Trump wall hasn't even started.
Trump failed. He promised to get rid of it. Best solution if you go to USA and have a medical emergency? Just don't pay for it.
Debt accelerating under Trump. He has failed (again). Debt is NOT slowing down.
How long is it going to build this? And who is going to pay for this?
yamada1043
Israel’s fingerprints are all over the USA’s moves on Iran. Exactly the same ones followed by the George W (Weapons of Mass Deception) Bush administration’s mindless war on Iraq.
As a U.S. citizen living in the USA, I am aware that it is unacceptable to criticize U. S. Middle East Foreign Policy or criticize Israel’s occupation of neighboring lands and the push for Greater Israel.
It is highly hypocritical for the U.S. to aid and abet Israel’s illegal nuclear ambitions while taking a warlike approach to Iran.
The farcical current occupant of the White House, who is controlled by the warmongers in Occupied Jerusalem, continues to make a complexly dangerous situation even worse.
SuperLib
Is your entire case built on this blog post from 2015? You keep posting it over and over again.
This is all just speculation before the deal really effect. For example, the main point is about "The whole neighborhood will race to go nuclear." That never happened. The writer was proven wrong.
Tell me, if the deal was so bad, what did Trump and the GOP keep it in place for so long after gaining power?
Deadforgood
Having the capability does not mean we can. And Nuking them justifies them to build nuclear weapons. Doubt the rest of the world would agree with the US either if they did this. You aren't thinking things through.
SO you had a detailed conversation with both men and they told you that they didn't want war?
Is there anything in here that isn't hypothetical, and can be proven. Nope. But now thanks to Trump, Iran is getting nuclear! What a deal.
Deadforgood
Does it make you feel good to tell people they are sick?
Not really sure what you mean, I don't see why its a disease to disagree with the policies of Trump. Does that mean all the republicans have ODS? Obama derangement syndrome? I don't think so, but according to you, it does.
Chip Star
Never mind that Turtle McConnell has over 100 bills passed by the House sitting on his desk.
Never mind thstbit limited capacity and level of uranium enrichment and put inspectors in Iranian facilities.
Donny ripping up the agreement and trying to choke their economy is why they went back to enriching uranium.
They handled our drone nicely. Donny backed down in the face of the challenge. Seems your analysis of Iran is way, way off.
weedkila
This situation is like the old western gunslinger movies where you had the bad guy picking on the weak guy. He'd throw a gun on the ground and say 'Pick it up. Go on, pick it up'. And as soon as the weak guy picked it up he'd be shot dead and the bad guy would say 'Well you saw him. He had a gun. He was threatening me.'
It's the same thing here. Trump says he really doesn't want to have a war with Iran but the US has at least 40 military bases surrounding Iran in neighboring countries. Then Trump and Co go and put a fleet of warships in the gulf and top it off with 2 highly suspicious incidents taking place in the past week or so. Then they announce 'significant' sanctions on the country so the general population, not the leadership, will have a hard time of it.
But Trump says he doesn't want war, the US just wants to do the right thing and "keep American interests and American people safe all around the world" while Pompeo promises that the US is "prepared to negotiate with no preconditions". If anyone can't see that this is no different to simple high school bullying tactics and supports the US government's position of sanctions and military action then they are part of the problem.
http://socioecohistory.x10host.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/USA_military_bases_surrounding_Iran_What_if_opposite.jpg
As someone once said "How dare they put their country so close to our military bases".
Deadforgood
Yea, why would anyone give him credit for diffusing a situation he created in the first place. This is stuff you do to toddlers to help enforce their self esteem. NOT men in their late 70's...
nishikat
Higher healthcare costs, more US debt, and ladder sales (to climb over his wall)
Trump is credited
Norman Goodman
Looks like they decided even two false flags are not enough to start this war. The American people are as asleep as ever but I think its the world that's not to bend this time.
PTownsend
I have yet to read about Uniqlo pushing America-first propaganda.
But I've heard Trump say it many times.
Something about doing what he says, not what he - and his family - do.
ulysses
Then you need to have your pit bulls Pompeo and Bolton on a tighter leash.
Their growling and yapping is starting to annoy.
rlperez@hotmail.com.au
The US DID negotiate and agree to a deal with Iran. Trump pulled our of the deal. Easy solution; remove sanctions and got back to the deal as agreed to by many other nations. No need for more talk.
plasticmonkey
Good one.
Chip Star
Good one! Except it's completely inaccurate.
Chip Star
Irrelevant to Iran not being a cake walk if we go to war with it.
SuperLib
"I believe Putin."
PTownsend
Do you know whether it was made by one of Ivanka's brands in China, or did Trump have it made by one of his own Chinese, Mexican, Indonesian or Bangladeshi manufacturers?
Given US taxpayers pay for his golf games and all other costs when Trump's at one of his properties, I wonder if he also had the hat paid for by taxpayers, and if so how much he charged.
rlperez@hotmail.com.au
This fiasco was totally unnecessary. Trump wanted to show his base, the globe and even allies that he and the US are great and can do as they please, including tearing up previously agreed to agreements. The result has been that even more nations don't trust the US and that any commitment entered into with the US is not worth the paper it is written on.
The Western Wimps need to send the US the message that its days of global dictatorship are coming to an end and they will not support the US into any more wars aimed at maintaining US domination.
PTownsend
Perhaps one of the 'deep state' factions does. If folks have been keeping up with recent movies, fiction and Internet sites they'd know the 'deep state' is so big now it's been divided into factions. Now splinter and rival 'deep state' factions recognize Russia backs Iran (global gas cabal brothers after all), and because that faction's been bought off by Russian oligarchs (looking at Trump admin staff like little Stephen Miller, Jared, Ivanka, and pols like Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, etal) they're getting paid more to try to stop war with Iran.
Trump's just waiting to see which faction offers the best deals to him.
Blacklabel
Or the hat was made in the USA and American workers were paid to manufacture it. Like anything else, there are Chinese “knockoffs” to be found.
Look in your house and see how many things are made in the countries you listed. If it bothers you, throw those away and buy American. The Trump economy thanks you.
Blacklabel
Wonderful cap in the picture.
WilliB
I have CNN on cable (not my choice, came with the package) and watch it for breakfast. 100% Trump Derangement Syndrome, 100% of the time.
Now looking a this site, I can almost say the same.
WilliB
Deadforgood:
I looked up the page, and unsurprisingly, it is a compilation of fake claims, either consistingof political talking point outright false statements. One has to be a fanatic partisan to take this at face value.
For those of us who are not CNN believers, it is kind of amazing that there is a large part of the population who actually consumes this propaganda uncritically.
Sh1mon M4sada
@BigYen
Here's the debate on:
"...US administration, unilaterally withdrawing from said agreement..."
Given sanctions was an essential part of the deal, and lifting sanctions resulted in Iran funnelling money to its terrorists proxies, wouldn't you see that as not in keeping with the terms of the deal? Even if you don't think so, consider:
Obama entered into the deal in the final days of his presidency despite warnings from his own advisors. Trump is from the opposing administration, he shouldn't have to deal with Obama's mistake. Now I'm not saying this is why Trump pulled USA out of the deal, I'm just saying I agree with what he said, it's a dumb deal.
Consider also, Iran said they will stick by the deal (to get the other signatories to put pressure on USA), only to later say they've quadrupple enrichment activities and will soon breach the limit. Which version do you want to believe? Iran has demonstrated, they will breach any deal if and when it suits them. Fluidity...
Sh1mon M4sada
@BigYen
and here's the final one...
"Do you just expect the Iranians to roll up in a ball..."
Of course not, the world (not just the USA) has been very clear on this, it expects Iran to give up its nuclear ambition, particularly since as it already made threats to annihilate its neighbours before hand.
Nothing about rolling up into a ball. If anything, it offers Iran prosperity beyond its wildest imagination, just look at other arab states, have a stop over in Dubai next time you fly and see how good it can get.
Instead, Iran has chosen to pursue nuclear weapons as a priority over all else. You'd have to wonder the motive of a nation that values nuclear weapons over all else.
FizzBit
Went kind of cold. My guess they’re waiting for their talking points.
Sh1mon M4sada
@BigYen
I've only responded to your comment that Iran's threat "doesn't mean a damn thing"
... and you go off starting new arguments on these?
"who's responsible for starting this particular chapter in US-Iranian relations?"
"...Iran, motoring along and abiding by the terms of the 2015 agreement..."
"...US administration, unilaterally withdrawing from said agreement..."
"Do you just expect the Iranians to roll up in a ball..."
These are topics I would gladly debate with you, on first principle.
So again, to get back on track, I'm saying, Iran and others can make all the threats in the world...the world will just see it as a challenge, but threats + pursuit of nuclear weapons = a real threat, and it means something (to people who care about the state of the world).
Here's a country (or specifically, leadership of a country) that has chosen possession of nuclear weapons over its own prosperity, mop the floor with that.
Sh1mon M4sada
@BigYen
So here's the debate on:
"who's responsible for starting this particular chapter in US-Iranian relations?"
How far do you want to go back, it's an entirely fluid situation. For me, the moment Iran threaten its neighbours with 'annihilation' AND pursue nuclear weapons, is the moment the world should become interested in Iran as a real threat. If you disagree with this, clarify how you would deal with 'threat' + 'nuclear weapons'.
There was sanctions in place just for this. It would have starved Iran or resources and force them back to the negotiating table. The goal is to make Iran properous and the world safer. Obama scrapped the sanctions, and entered into a deal where, IF Iran continue to pursue nuclear weapons (albeit slower and less in quantity), they would still be in compliance, AND if they renegged, there were no remedy, AND if the world was to try and reimpose sanctions it would mean giving Iran time, and money to pursue their objective of having nuclear weapons nevertheless, as you can currently see is the case.
It isn't binary, it is entirely fluid, until Iran give up the idea of possessing nuclear weapons.
Sh1mon M4sada
@BigYen
Here's the debate on:
"...Iran, motoring along and abiding by the terms of the 2015 agreement..."
No one dispute Iran wasn't motoring along. Straight out of Trump's mouth, the terms/deal was a 'dumb deal'. It did not stop Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons, the deal was ONLY to reduce, and slow down. Meanwhile all sanctions were lifted. One way deal, AND when Iran started to fund its proxy in conflicts, there was no mechanism for remedy either, damn if you do, damn if you don't situation.
Stupidly dumb deal. That is Trump's contention.
Clarify why you think it wasn't a dumb deal without ignoring the fluidity of the situation and all the conflicts Iran has fueled since sanctions were lifted and they got their $100 billion held in escrow.
Serrano
Higher healthcare costs, more US debt, and ladder sales (to climb over his wall)
Trump is credited
Um, we're still basically stuck with Obamacare, $15 trillion of the $22 trillion debt is thanks to Bush and Obama, and oh my...
Height of Trump’s Mexico border wall make it near-impossible to scale, tests confirm
https://metro.co.uk/2018/01/19/height-trumps-mexico-border-wall-make-near-impossible-scale-tests-confirm-7243438/?ito=cbshare
Maybe shovels to dig tunnels under them?
Serrano
The major threat to the World at the moment is the idiot that in sitting in the white house
Nooooo, the major threat to the world is the Deep State trying to start another war. Most likely John Kerry is involved. Good thing we have Trump in the White House who said not so fast!
Serrano
credit for what!? diffusing a situation he instigated
Trump didn't instigate it but John Kerry might have had something to do with it. He's been over there telling them who knows what in severe breaches of protocol. Our intelligence agencies needs to have a talk with him.
can't go to nuclear war if your adversaries dont have nukes yet
Yeah, Trump's making sure of that, as opposed to Obama.
Trump will never get any credit for anything positive he does from you guys.
bass4funk
He doesn’t need it, but Israel and the Saudis are always welcome.
And they are not the President.
They are all not the President, so it really doesn’t matter.
Yeah, they were saying that last time, if we keep listening to the MSM we are all going to be laughing jokes. If the Democrats want to even think about beating this president, they need to be able to draw in thousands and thousands at a rally, and so far that hasn’t happened yet, the Democrats want to make a homerun but they didn’t even reach First base yet.
bass4funk
No one said that, but he doesn’t need the backing oof Congress if he decides to do a precision surgical strike.
..or vital intelligence that our men could never get, knowledge of weapons, bombs, ballistics, stealth operation that they know about, things even we don’t know.
How do you know who or what he hates?! Liberals always think they have mutant telepathic powers where they read what people like or dislike or what they ate for lunch or dinner....
No one even talked about ground troops, relax now.
bass4funk
Well, they really weren’t as if Israel would ever sit back and allow the Saudis and Israel live next to it. Yeah, liberals believe that and thank God Trump blew that crap up.
Good.
I mean, we have the video, but it doesn’t mean anything unless liberals say it does, so don’t believe your eyes, believe the liberals. ROFL! And that’s why you don’t see liberals in power, because they wouldn’t know how to deal with something like this.
Blacklabel
“Uniqlo has been manufacturing in Bangladesh since 2008, though the majority of its production takes place in China”
oops.
Sh1mon M4sada
But it's not binary is it? It has been highly fluid, that was the advice given to Obama before he scrapped sanctions, and the record says the advisors were right, give Iran resources and it will flow straight to Iran's proxies, and there will be more widespread, prolonged conflicts.
The only binary equation is: Does Iran want nuclear weapons or prosperity? Everything else is fluid, you can't ignore history.
bass4funk
Yes, because liberals need to know that the mirage that the deal was good or working was a complete farce.
Yes, liberals always like to wait until the doo doo gets too thick and you can’t do anything to fix or AKA: yellow-bellied.
Had the Democrats their way, it would have come to that.
If it’s good as Democrats say it is, then why would the GOP dump it in the garbage?
bass4funk
That’s the short list, I get it, but the positive list is much longer. So to call the President a failure in any capacity is just floating on helium.
Thank God!
Yes and we should rebuild the Berlin Wall while we’re at it. Smh.....
bass4funk
We can at the same time, the ones that hate us, always need us, our money, so No one can stop that, not even the Chinese, nor do they want it any other way.
If they are unproductive, they should be torn....torn to shreds.
Yeah, heard that before and yet, they always come back, always.
What? Oh...lol!
bass4funk
Most of the time.
As if we cared what the U.N. thinks, now you’re being funny! Lol
Good enough, might be even better actually.
bass4funk
Well, hating him won’t benefit you in any way either, it strengthens him, weakens his enemies.
bass4funk
I never told you what I like or hate, you’re speculating again.
That'd be perfect, the only democracy and the only Jewish State and they’re supposed to give up their nukes while being surrounded by a large group of people that want them dead, Never again!
Either way, Isreal and the Saudis won’t allow a Nuclear Iran with or without the help of the US, lets be abundantly clear on that.
Serrano
Mike Pompeo was never taken seriously in DC and he is not competent to even have a seat in the room, much less at the table when it comes to foreign policy.
That statement has no basis in reality.
I personally sleep better knowing that we have at least a slightly lower chance of nuclear war with Trump at the helm than most of the presidents we've had. He's handled Iran perfectly. By his decision not to go ahead with killing 150 Iranians because they downed an unmanned plane, he might just have saved the world from nuclear war and he's not going to get any credit for it.
bass4funk
The president didn’t put any mines on the oil tankers.
He can still call for a ballistic strike, all is not lost.
Sh1mon M4sada
It doesn't mean a damn thing when you're not producing plutonium.
When you're producing weapons grade plutonium, sudden you've just converted from being a 'challenge' to an 'extreme threat', not at just those who you directly threatened, but to the world.
bass4funk
Not exactly, but the deal was bad, so it was a good thing.
Iran is not stupid, I really don’t think so.
Depends
No one wants a war, how absurd, we don’t want a nuclear Iran.
bass4funk
By the Democrats, no he hasn’t, but then again, it doesn’t matter.
Really? Says who?
Perhaps Susan Rice would be better at foreign policy of Joe Biden. ROFL!
So we should dispose of the Democrat party? I’m all in!!
bass4funk
Beg to differ...
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/trumps-list-289-accomplishments-in-just-20-months-relentless-promise-keeping
bass4funk
The whole neighborhood will race to go nuclear. This deal most likely will accelerate nuclear proliferation. Because if regional powers feel threatened by the possibility of Iran getting a weapon and the penalty for producing nuclear weapons decreases, then why wouldn’t they?
**Tehran gets to keep its vast nuclear infrastructure and its missile program.** And the promises from Iran only confirm the obvious: that the regime definitely has nuclear-weapons ambitions. After all, why have a massive ballistic-missile program and secret military nuclear facilities if the plan isn’t to build nuclear weapons?
Sanctions relief will make the region far less safe. The sanctions relief and the renewed ability to sell more oil on the open market could wind up bringing $300-400 billion into the Iranian economy, bolstering the Iranian government. Essentially, this means the deal will pay for undermining U.S. policy and interests throughout the region.
The deal is temporary, by design. Even the White House doesn’t claim it will permanently keep Iran from getting a bomb. So, what’s the point?
https://www.myheritage.org/news/4-reasons-why-the-iran-deal-may-be-the-worst-diplomatic-decision-in-history/
According to the Democrats, but what do they know, they can’t even pass their socialist agendas through legislation and it’s been now what....since January that they’ve been in power and the only thing they whine about is “collusion and Russia” no that’s not only stupid, but a complete embarrassment.
Actually, we could, we have that capability.
You had a detailed conversation with both men, that’s what they told you?
bass4funk
No, I cheered him on because it was a crap deal and No one told the Iranians to have a meltdown and go back to enriching uranium, that was a decision they decided to go with so they want to start something they just can’t handle. Either way, it’s done, not going back to that and the only thing Iran can and should do is denuclearize, if not, the new sanctions will go into effect and really start squeezing the Iranians dry and as long as they don’t attack us first, war won’t happen.
bass4funk
Ok, now back to the real world. Iran is not Iraq, Bush is not Trump, you don’t have a weak Obama in office and you have a calculating methodical President. Now either you want a war or not, so which is it. You either want an apologist or someone that fights back.
bass4funk
So we should just ignore Iran and allow them to attack any of our national interests?
I don’t know about all that......