Don't Fall for Iran's Nuclear Con Game

Iran is not slowing down their uranium enrichment.

This writer trusts you are not surprised.

Despite the recent reports in U.S. media asserting that Iran had significantly reduced its uranium enrichment program, the opposite seems to be true.

Why?

Because according to comments made by the head of Iran’s nuclear program, it isn't so.

U.S. press reports we’ve been receiving were, most probably, fed to the media by gullible and duped leaders and diplomats in Washington, D.C.

If they were duped, don’t expect the press to be any less gullible.

Slowing down the Iranian nuclear program is good for everyone.

If only that would happen.

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Iranian nuclear program, responded clearly and without hesitation when asked about reports regarding Tehran’s slowing down its 60% enrichment.

His response was: "Our nuclear enrichment continues based on the strategic framework law." Eslami was referring to the 2020 law passed by the Iranian Parliament.

According to that Iranian law, because the Trump administration pulled out of the famous 2015 "Nuke Deal" (aka the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA) they are no longer bound by the deal.

The Iranians call the "Nuke Deal" BARJAM or Barnāmeye Jāme'e Eqdāme Moshtarak.

It was in 2018, when U.S. President Donald J. Trump pulled out of the JCPOA.

America also slapped sanctions back on Iran.

In turn, Iran slowly and sometimes not so slowly started violating the nuclear agreement.

The Iranian argument went like this: if the United States is no longer party to the JCPOA, then the agreement is totally nullified.

And, if the agreement is totally nullified, Iran can do whatever it wants.

And for Iran, doing whatever it wants includes enriching uranium beyond the 3.67% levels that were agreed upon in the now infamous Nuke Deal.

U.S. media reports and the statements issued by U.S. officials about the reduction are (if one tries to decipher the discrepancies) must be part of a larger plan hatched by the United States.

A plan that justifies the United States advancing discussions with Iran to lift further sanctions.

A plan that includes swamping U.S. citizens imprisoned in Iran in exchange for unfreezing Iranian money held in South Korea.

When you put it all together, it seems to be part of a larger resuscitation of Iran.

A resuscitation that comes with a U.S. seal of approval.

However, none of this diplomatic canoodling with Iran could happen if the Iranians continued to enrich uranium to higher and higher levels, and if they continued to sprint toward a nuclear weapon.

Most American leaders and voters have overwhelmingly expressed their discomfort with a "nuclear Iran."

For U.S. policy on Iran to advance, even with respect to a prisoner release, the United States would have to show the American public that the Iranian nuclear program is "under control."

And so, we have been fed misleading — if not completely bogus — media reports and statements by diplomats.

Slowing down and diluting Iranian enrichment is, quite obviously, essential for advancing the diplomatic mission. The problem in the entire game plan is . . . the Iranians'.

Iranian leadership does not want to slow down let alone stop uranium enrichment.

Iranian leadership doesn't for one moment subscribe to the theory that the United States can dictate to Iran what Iranian internal nuclear policy can or should be.

And yet, it seems that a series of wide-ranging agreements between the U.S. and Iran have unofficially been agreed upon.

The Israeli Hebrew press has been reporting on them.

According to those accounts, the agreements include capping uranium enrichment at 60%.

Iran has even supposedly agreed to stop using proxies to attack U.S. forces and contractors, as well as agreeing to stop selling ballistic missiles to Russia.

In exchange, the Iranians expect the United States to reduce sanctions, permit their oil tankers to freely deliver their product, and to stop proposing anti-Iran resolutions in the United Nations and other international organizations.

Most significantly for Iran, the agreements include the unfreezing of billions of Iranian dollars. The prisoner release is all part of this broader agreement.

It's very easy to be enticed by these very impressive goals emerging as informal agreements.

While many may not want to believe that experienced leaders and diplomats would fall for the Iranian con game — they have.

Eslami, Iran’s nuclear program head, is not mincing his words.

In this case, there is no reason for him to lie.

Actually, lying and saying that they were limiting and diluting and slowing uranium would actually be more beneficial for Iran.

This time, Iran is speaking truthfully.

Micah Halpern is a political and foreign affairs commentator. He founded "The Micah Report" and hosts "Thinking Out Loud with Micah Halpern," a weekly TV program, and "My Chopp," a daily radio spot. Follow him on Twitter @MicahHalpern. Read Micah Halpern's Reports — More Here.