By Renee Parsons
Global Research

Much of the world’s media tuned into meetings being held in Pakistan bringing negotiating teams from the US and Iran together to discuss options for a two-week ceasefire and settling the six-week old conflict. Not surprising, however, the ‘negotiations’ ended the way many Trump Administration negotiations end – with an inflexible American position dominated by Israel as an illegal, unprovoked and unconstitutional expression of American foreign policy. The meeting would be mediated by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with China in the background.

Leading the high level Iranian delegation were Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baghe Ghalibafi including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as well as Abdolnaser Hemmati, Governor of the Central Bank which were accompanied by an impressive technical team and support staff of scientists prepared to ‘negotiate’ and bring an end to Trump’s illegal conflict.   

By contrast, on the other side of the table, the US delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance along with Presidential “envoys” real estate billionaire Steve Witkoff and Trump son in law, another real estate billionaire Jared Kushner who have no diplomatic experience, no knowledge of how to conduct a professional high level political discussion and no familiarity on the NPT (Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty) or the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Association).   

What was not taken into account is that the Witkoff-Kushner team had a history with the Iranians from two previous negotiations – both of which failed and ended with the Iranians feeling deceived and treated with disrespect.  

Vance’s selection to lead the US provided a much needed source of credibility since the Iranians preferred Vance rather than a rematch with the flawed Witkoff/Kushner team. Vance however was not provided with any decision-making authority, unable to be his ‘own man’ or use his best judgment with frequent phone calls with the President over the course of the 20-hour meeting while attending an all–important UFC match.  

Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi summed it up with

“Iran enters negotiations amid a complete lack of trust due to Washington’s failure to honor its commitments and its betrayal of diplomacy” 

and

“We refuse to give up the right to enrichment.”

Iran signed the NPT in 1968 and has always allowed inspections by the IAEA while Israel has never signed the NPT and has never allowed IAEA inspectors at their Dimona nuclear plant. Article 4 of the (NPT) emphasizes the right of all parties to develop and use nuclear energy for ‘peaceful purposes’ making Trump’s denial of nuclear material for Iran irrational and unreasonable.

Steve Witkoff is a long-time personal business friend of Trump from their NYC days as real estate developers while Jared Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, has raised billions from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE with reports that Kushner is seeking $5 billion in new financing, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest while he manages “freelance diplomacy”. Both are unregistered agents for Israel as long time advocates of Zionism’s political philosophy.

One unresolved issue was the inclusion of Lebanon in the ceasefire as Israel’s ferocious attack on civilians in Lebanon displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians on a par with the devastation of Gaza; yet Hezbollah ‘terrorists’ may have never been accused of conducting genocide or mass murder on children and their families. 

***

What was not expected at the meeting was the level of physical threat to the Iranians for failing to roll over on behalf of Israel’s ultimate objective of achieving its Greater Israel project through domination of the Middle East.  

In an unhinged op ed written by Marc Thiessen of the Washington Post entitled “Iran Thinks it has Leverage; Here’s how Trump can Prove Them Wrong,” Thiessen’s piece proposed a series of speculative military/foreign policy options to an uninformed Trump. The op ed, however, makes no mention that many of Thiessen’s options are considered war crimes.  

The article contained no information that the NPT (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) allows possession of nuclear material for ‘peaceful purposes’ and that Iran signed the NPT in1968. Israel has never signed the NPT, has never admitted its possession of nuclear warheads and has consistently refused inspections at its Dimona plant since 1960.  

Some elements of Thiessen’s proposal included:

“Fourth, carry out a final barrage of leadership strikes, eliminating the Iranian officials who had been spared for the purpose of negotiations. Iran’s leaders must be made to understand that their lives literally depend on reaching a negotiated settlement to Trump’s liking. If they refuse to do so, they will be killed.”

“Fifth, declare an end to major combat operations and issue declaratory policy informing Iran’s remaining leaders that they will not be permitted to rebuild their nuclear, ballistic missile or drone capabilities, funnel money or weapons to terrorist proxies, or fire on protesters. Anyone engaged in those actions will also be killed.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei condemned the op ed which calls for the assassination of Iranian negotiators if talks fail, expressing outrage that such rhetoric is being openly advanced in US political and media circles. He said the language amounts to incitement to violence and state terrorism, and questioned how Washington can accuse Iran of bad faith while such threats are publicly normalized – which is a great question that remains unanswered. 

In the aftermath of tense negotiations that became somewhat alarming, the meeting disintegrated into failure as the Iranians announced they would not take a flight home to Iran for their own safety but would rather seek alternative way to travel. 

Ultimately the Iranian team was escorted by nine Pakistan Air Force fighter jets on their return flight home to Iran.  

Likewise, Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) has stated

“If the Iranian leader won’t accept the deal we offered, he will be dead.”   

In addition, the day before the meeting, the President suggested another unsettling quote that

“the Iranians don’t seem to realize they have no cards; other than a short term extortion of the world by using International waterways, the only reason they are alive today is to negotiate.”  

The next morning, President Trump responded that

“The game will end soon. The America army is about to do something big very soon. Are you ready?” 

reminds us of Trump’s insane threat to destroy the entire Iranian civilization. What is ‘something big very soon’ referring to?

In conclusion, the Trump administration is not favorably disposed by Pope Leo’s critique of the administration’s militaristic proclivities citing “a diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force,” and that “war is back in vogue, and a zeal for war is spreading” while Secretary of War Pete Hegseth would not allow Catholics to attend a recent prayer service at the Pentagon.  

***

Click the share button below to email/forward this article. Follow us on Instagram and X and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost Global Research articles with proper attribution.

Renee Parsons has been an elected public official in Colorado, an environmental lobbyist with Friends of the Earth and a staff member in the US House of Representative in Washington, DC. Before its demise, she was also a member of the ACLU’s Florida State Board of Directors and President of the ACLU Treasure Coast Chapter. 

Featured image source

____
https://www.globalresearch.ca/ceasefire-media-menace-iran/5922096