Are the Iran Sanctions Biting?
Ali Mohammadi, AFP / Getty Images
An interestingly optimistic take on negotiations with Iran, in today's Haaretz:
The nuclear program has transformed from a national rallying cry to a political hand grenade; what was once the regime's strength has become its weakness.
The price Iran is now paying for its program threatens to destabilize or even destroy the regime - the one thing the mullahs fear above all else. So while Iran's journalists busy themselves with hubris, its politicians now worry about nemesis. When Iran and the P5 +1 met last month, the talks, while yielding nothing substantial, were universally hailed as positive. Iran's chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili, uncharacteristically described the discussions as "very successful."
It was a signal. The last time the Iranians were this scared was shortly after Washington had conquered Baghdad, in mid-2003.
About the Author
David Frum
David Frum is a contributing editor at Newsweek and The Daily Beast and a CNN contributor. He is the author of eight books, including most recently the e-book WHY ROMNEY LOST and his first novel Patriots, published in April 2012.
Comments