There is reason for optimism on the Iranian front. And there is, to be sure, ample reason to be circumspect and cautious when it comes to dealing with Iran over its nuclear energy program. “Trust but verify” should, of course, remain a non-negotiable approach.
But ever wonder, purely from the Iranian point of view, how far from the surface this sub-text is?
“Let’s see if we have this right. After the U.S. and the old Soviet Union, a few other countries were able to join the nuclear club. The usual Western stalwarts, such as England and France, but later China, India and those ever-reliably prudent Pakistanis. And let’s not forget, Israel, although it’s not politically correct to note that there’s something other than sand and cacti in the Negev Desert. But the world draws the line at North Korea and us. Thanks again, America, for that ‘axis of evil’ association.
“And nobody, of course, speaks with a more authoritative, influential voice than the U.S. on the need for crippling Iranian sanctions and the rationale for how destabilizing it would be for the world if we were allowed to do what we want with nuclear energy. And how ironic is it that in the history of the world, only one nation has ever actually used a nuclear weapon. And it was the U.S.–and they did it twice. So, other than Japan, nobody knows the obscene, almost incomprehensive danger inherent in nuclear-weapons proliferation more than the U.S. They’re the experts. They’ve earned it.”