The Strategist

Iran’s Neutral Stance Towards Nuclear Deal Leaves The World Guessing



04/14/2015 - 12:57



Iran takes a neutral stance towards the nuclear treaty. Even though, the country’s supreme leader doesn’t show any dissent on the said front yet encourages the negotiators not to give in to any military investigations.



Tehran, Iran – 13 April 2015 – Adam Schreck reports to The World Post that at the final negotiation stage of the nuclear deal, Iran has adapted to “a tough bargaining stance”. The country’s “moderate president” and the “supreme leader”, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, both said in unison that any such deal should incorporate “an immediate lifting of withering sanctions”.
 
However, even though this trend might prove to be a popular one within the country but internationally the demand could raise “the bar too high” when it comes to the negotiators and their ability to supply the finalised deal by the end of June. The country’s final words to accept the deal which “could transform its relationship with the wider world” is reserved with its supreme leader, who hinted at anything yet.
 
Schreck writes that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei first stance towards the nuclear deal, which he revealed to a group of religious poets, was a neutral one as “he ‘is neither for nor against’" the treaty. He justified his stance saying that the deal is yet a ‘work in progress’ stage, nothing has been finalized yet. He says:
"What has happened so far neither guarantees a deal... nor does it guarantee the content of a deal. It doesn't even guarantee the talks will go on until the end and will lead to a deal."
 
Moreover, Khamenei shows his dissent towards the “punitive sanctions” of the treaty and he adds that it “should be lifted completely, on the very day of the deal". According to him, the five U.N. Security Council’s permanent members along with Germany cannot be trusted for they may limit Iran’s chance for further communications.
 
Even though, he further “urged Iranian negotiators” not to give in for “any ‘unconventional inspections’”, meaning any “inspection of military facilities”, in order to facilitate nuclear resources for the country; he also says that a “successful deal” could be a base for possible future interaction on other subjects “beyond the nuclear program”.
 
In spite of facing criticism for the deal process coming “from hard-liners”, Khamenei has shown a constant support to the team of negotiators, who “won a major endorsement” which came from Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the country’s chief revolutionary guard, as a token of praise for their efforts "in defending the rights of the Iranian nation."
 
According to Schreck, the cautioning of Iran’s supreme leader seemed a strategic move to meet the public expectations by declaring the nuclear treaty “as just one more step on the road to an agreement” wherein the outcome remains still uncertain. Nevertheless, the negotiation still continues to gain supports.
 
The director of the Middle East program, Haleh Esfandiari, from “Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars” says:
"If you read between the lines, the supreme leader said he is willing to approve an extension of the talks... If he was not interested in the negotiations, he would have just said 'we did what we could' and just stop".
 
On the other hand, Hassan Rouhani, the president said:
"We will not sign any agreement unless all economic sanctions are totally lifted on the first day of the implementation of the deal".
 
As per sources the framework of the nuclear treaty has agreed to lift the sanction only after all the necessary verifications take place; although the people of Tehran are hoping for the nuclear treaty to take place which could alter their lives in a positive manner.
 
Iran denies all the charges against its usage of uranium for creating atom bombs as suspected and feared by the West. It a “victory” in Raouhani’s words as he declares Iran’s stance towards the framework of the deal:
“...as evidence that Iran has ‘not surrendered to a policy of pressure, sanctions and bullying’."