We Told You So: Iran Uses New Round of Nuclear Talks to Buy Time

After April’s nuclear talks with Iran produced nothing more than an agreement to talk again in May, Israeli Prime Minister said that the Obama administration and the other “six nations” (China, Germany, Britain, France, and Russia) had merely given Iran a “freebie.” He warnedIran was merely using the talks to buy time. Events have proven him correct, as the May talks have led to nothing but an agreement to talk again in mid-June, while Iran has shifted the “six nations” towards allowing it to enrich uranium to near-weapons levels.

The West asked Iran to accept a deal in which it would stop enriching uranium at the 20 percent level–which is just a short step away from weapons-grade uranium. Iran walked away from what it called “a list of Israeli demands.” Israel is not participating in, nor represented at, the talks–though its security is most directly at stake, with the chief of staff of Iran’s military declaring this week that his nation’s goal was “the full annihilation of Israel.” Currently, UN Security Council resolutions prevent any nuclear enrichment by Iran.

In April, President Barack Obama defended his policy against criticism from Netanyahu and others: “We’re not going to have these talks just drag out in a stalling process, but so far at least, we haven’t given away anything.” Iran sees events rather differently. As Breitbart News reported last week, Iran has celebrated its success at the negotiating table, achieved because of the failure of the international community to stand up to its aggressive tactics. Meanwhile, former White House advisor Dennis Ross called the talks “not serious.”

As the “six nations” ponder what concessions to make next, Israel is refusing to let the talks become a latter-day Evian Conference. That meeting, convened in 1938, presented the world with an opportunity to help Jews who were fleeing from Nazi Germany. Then as now, Jews had no direct voice in the talks that would determine their survival. This time, however, Israel is preparing to act on its own if necessary. The new unity government may have already decided on plans to attack Iran, despite Obama’s objections and interventions.