Iran set the example by funding extensive social programs and education. Of course, Iran's challenge to share the wealth was anathema to the oil monarchs and their American patrons. By 1980, an undeclared conflict was underway across the Muslim world between the Saudis and Iran -- one that still rages today as we see most recently in the expanding Yemen war.
US policy has been to keep the infectious, troublesome Iranians isolated and contained, rather as Europe's reactionary powers did with revolutionary France at the end of the 18th century. While the reason given by Washington was Iran's alleged nuclear threat, the sanctions regime was really aimed at fatally weakening Iran's economy and provoking the overthrow of the Islamic government and its replacement by tame Beverly Hills Iranian exiles.
Unfortunately for US imperial policymakers, the dangerous chaos they created in Iraq and Syria, and the rise of ISIS, necessitated working with Iran to keep a lid on this boiling pot. That means easing sanctions on Tehran and allowing its economy to start coming back to life.
Hence the Lausanne deal. But Tehran does not trust Washington to adhere to the pact. Grand Ayatollah Khamenei asserted last week there would be no deal unless sanctions against Iran were lifted "immediately." To many Iranians it seemed clear that Washington had no intention of lifting key sanctions, only slowly lessening relatively unimportant ones.
Washington faces a major dilemma over the isolation of Iran. If sanctions are substantially lifted, Iran will increase oil and gas exports and begin rebuilding its industrial base and obsolete military forces. Europe, Russia, China and India are all eager to resume doing business with Iran.
But lifting sanctions will make Iran stronger and even more of a political threat to America's Mideast satraps -- who want the Persian genii bottled up. Claims that Mideast states like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE fear a nuclear arm race are spurious. Save Egypt and Jordan, all are next door to Iran. Nuclear weapons have no use in such close quarters. Egyptians lack food, never mind nuclear arms.
Israel and its partisans, who have successfully purchased much of the US Congress, remain determined to scupper the nuclear deal. There are so many potential slips between cup and lip that reaching an effective, lasting deal will be very difficult. Iran is not wrong to be skeptical.
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