6 days Ago By Special to National Post
The United States has once again engaged in negotiations with Iran, chasing the elusive goal of turning the Islamic Republic into a peaceful, terror-free and nuclear-free state. This has left the world wondering: “Haven’t we seen this movie before?” The talks are going on now and no one knows how and when they will end. U.
S. President Donald Trump, however, said last week that he would prefer to negotiate rather than resort to military action. Instead of getting into discussions about what level of uranium enrichment is sufficient for Iran’s nuclear program, the United States and its allies must ask this simple question: what goal are they trying to achieve? Is it Iran’s uranium enrichment that is a matter of supreme concern for the world and a threat to the region, or is it the regime’s ideology and quest to control the region through terror that is a matter of concern? If the goal is to drop the country’s nuclear enrichment by a few percentage points, then the likelihood is that these negotiations will be successful and will give the Trump administration a perceived win to dangle in front of its base.
But if the goal is to make Iran a normal country again, that will not happen until its Islamist rulers are thrown out. If the peaceniks still have doubts, we would recommend reading Wendy Sherman’s book, “Not for the Faint of the Heart.” Sherman was deputy secretary of state under U.
S. President Barack Obama and chief negotiator in talks that led to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. Her memoir proves, if any proof is needed, that the Iranian regime almost always comes to the negotiating table to weather the gathering storm, biding its time so it can gain a stronger position in the future.
Consider this: if Iran’s mullahs agree to all the conditions laid out by Trump negotiators regarding enrichment levels, will it lead to peace and security in the region? In all likelihood, it would just serve to pause the chaos in the Middle East for a period of time — until the regime recuperates. The point is that unless the Iranian regime in removed from power, the threat posed by Iran will continue to loom. Not long ago, Iran was a normal state.
Not a Westminster democracy, a monarchy alright, but a modern, progressive country with impressive economic indicators. The problem started when it was captured by the clergy and turned into a theocracy. Their regressive ideology gave birth to repression and coercion that characterizes the country today.
Unless this problem is dealt with, peace in the Middle East will be as elusive as ever. Peace will only be realized once the Iranian people rise up and get rid of the current theocratic order. Fresh young leaders of Iran could then be counted on to take their country away from this abyss of violence and regression.
At that point, the U.S. would have real partners at the negotiating table.
This sounds idealistic, but until it happens, any peace negotiations would only serve to buy time for this oppressive regime. That time will certainly be used to build more weapons and arm proxies to project its regional hegemony. If the ideal solution is not available, it doesn’t mean you pick a bad option.
Do it right or leave it till you can. National Post Raheel Raza and Mohammad Rizwan are directors of the Council of Muslims Against Antisemitism. Andrew Richter: Iran's nuclear ambitions could soon lead it straight into warJesse Kline: Sorry Joly, maybe all out war with Iran is exactly what we need.
