Since the Iranians now see that the USA wants an agreement almost at any cost the Iranians view this as a weakness to be exploited. As Lt.-Col. (ret.) Michael (Mickey) Segall notes, Khomeni has not lost any time in redefining the Iranian red lines.
Following my own career involving wage negotiations with militant Trade Unions in the UK, it is clear that any negotiating advantage the P5+1 had at the start of the framework negotiations has been given up without receiving anything positive in return.
- On April
9, 2015, Iran's top leaders, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President
Hassan Rouhani, took firm positions on new red lines for the ongoing
nuclear negotiations: immediate removal of the sanctions as soon as the
agreement takes effect; opposition to special monitoring and inspections
of Iran’s military sites and missile program; and non-intervention in
Iran's ongoing assistance to "resistance" organizations around
the world.
- Khamenei's
remarks were intended to counter the public-relations campaign of
President Obama who portrayed the West's achievements both to Middle
Eastern public opinion and in the United States itself. Whereas Iran's
opening positions are rigid, the West, in the latest talks, has already
shown how far it is willing to go for a signature on an agreement.
- Khamenei
has already stated that Iran's involvement in the region, including its
assistance to "resistance" elements, is not part of the
negotiations, and Iran is not required to put them on the agenda. Such
words reflect Iran's growing confidence as its regional and international
status improves, and its defiant conduct will likely put it on a collision
course with the countries in the region.
- The IRGC
commander's support for the agreement on the one hand, and on the other,
the opposition of some conservative Majlis members who are associated with
Ahmadinejad, may indicate disagreement within the conservative camp and
possibly within the IRGC.
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