Kerry Calls Criticism of Iran Talks 'Fear Tactics'

Iran is on the brink of obtaining full nuclear weapons capacity. According to a top former deputy at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tehran’s current nuclear infrastructure has the capability to build “the bomb” in two weeks.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned the attention of the international community, warning that Iran was dangerously close to developing nuclear weaponry and reminded the nations of the world to be mindful of falling prey to psychological disarmament via Iranian President Rouhani’s “peace and friendship” initiative. Before his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in early October, Netanyahu suggested that Rouhani was disguising his true agenda, warning of a “Wolf in Sheep’s clothing.”

Rouhani has a documented history of engaging in deceptive rhetoric towards the West. Prior to winning the Iran presidential election, Rouhani bragged on state-run media that he had tricked the IAEA negotiators into believing him that Iran had stopped enriching uranium.

Former Democratic National Committee Campaign Director Wendy Sherman is leading the diplomatic negotiations with Tehran. Sherman has spent most of her career as a political operative for the Democratic Party. She recently served as director of EMILY’s list, a Political Action Committee that advocates on behalf of pro-choice Democratic women seeking positions in Congress. It does not appear that Sherman has any background, education, or experience in the methodology and practice of diplomacy or international relations. 

White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett’s name has often come up in discussions regarding negotiations with Iran. Last year, the New York Times reported that the White House had been engaged in secret talks with Iran, a story which was denied by the Obama Administration. An Israeli newspaper following up on the NYT story then reported that Jarrett was the lead negotiator with Iran. Former CIA operative and Iranian dissident Reza Khallili alleged that Jarrett was involved in secret talks for months on behalf of the Obama administration, with the aim of striking a deal before the President’s second term.

Ultimately, the decision making in Iran proceeds through the approval of one man: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

As a former student of the Peoples’ Friendship University in the former Soviet Union, Khamenei became well versed in Communist platitudes and propaganda measures, later reciting the oft mentioned doctrines in his speeches to the Iranian public. Since anti-Semitism was generally a Nazi propaganda tool, the Soviets adopted as a replacement term: “anti-Zionism.”

While the New York Times can claim of Rouhani’s “moderate” stances on some issues, the same cannot be said of Iran’s ultimate authority, who once exclaimed, “Zionist power over this region will completely vanish, Allah willing.” While rallying for the disappearance of the Jewish State, Khameini hoped, “Allah willing, its destruction will be imminent.” Despite many instances in which Khamenei has openly called for Israel’s destruction, many see him as a rational actor whose political beliefs are antithetical to a specific governing policy in Israel, as opposed to a genocidal jihadist primarily interested in the end goal of establishing world dominance through a Shia Islamic caliphate.

Secretary of State John Kerry did not seem too concerned with Iran’s past behavior, ostensibly renewing the Iranian administration with a clean slate. The Secretary observed that America had “an opportunity to try to put to test whether or not Iran really desires to pursue only a peaceful program, and will submit to the standards of the international community in the effort to prove that to the world.”

Secretary Kerry has arguably disregarded the former IAEA official’s and Israeli Prime Minister’s warnings, as well as seemingly ignoring the past behavior of Ayatollah Khamenei and President Rouhani. Instead, he has advocated that the Administration should continue engaging in lobbying efforts to lift the economic sanctions on Iran. Commenting on US policy towards Iran, in what many took to be a reaction to Netanyahu’s remarks, Secretary Kerry quipped, “Some have suggested that somehow there’s something wrong with more diplomacy… We will not succumb to those fear tactics and forces that suggest otherwise.”