I certainly did not see this coming. When I read that a Saudi delegation showed up in Tehran, I was inclined to believe that the Saudis were being used as a US messenger to warn Iran it better accept Trump’s deal or else. Well, I was wrong. Looks like the Saudis want to be sure that Iran does not blame them if Israel and the United States decide to attack Iran in the coming weeks. Here is the surprising readout from the meeting in Tehran: Son of the New American Revolution is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Wow!! Looks like Iran and the Saudis are ready to go shopping for furniture to adorn their new home. This is a remarkable turnaround compared to 2015. When the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, was signed on July 14, 2015, in Vienna, Austria, between Iran and the P5+1 countries (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), along with the European Union, Iran was on the ropes. It was diplomatically isolated. Even the Chinese and Russians were cooperating with the West in imposing sanctions on Iran. ISIS was stirring up a storm in Syria and fighting some hellacious battles with IRGC forces keen on saving Assad. The Saudis were at war with the Houthis, an Iranian ally, and tensions between Riyadh and Tehran were quite high. What a difference a decade makes. Starting in late 2017 or early 2018, Iran persuaded Russia and the China to join it in an annual naval military exercise. The first one kicked off in March 2019, and there has been one every year since then at the same time — i.e., the first week of March. Iran was welcomed into BRICS in the summer of 2024, and followed that milestone by signing the Iranian–Russian Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on January 17 in Moscow. Notwithstanding the fall of Bashir al-Assad in December 2024, with the West celebrating this as a major defeat for Tehran, Iran had strengthened its military capabilities, thanks in part to Russian assistance. Iran’s relationship with both Russia and China has expanded and deepened during the last three years. Iran’s Foreign Minister was in Moscow today, meeting with President Putin, to discuss the planned Saturday talks with the US delegation in Oman. Iran’s chief concern at this time is trying to assess whether or not Witkoff’s position, as presented last Saturday, has fundamentally shifted. Initially, Witkoff signaled that the US was willing to accept a cap on Iran’s uranium enrichment—referencing the 3.67% limit from the 2015 deal—rather than demanding the complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program, a stance more in line with Israel’s demands. However, within days of returning to Washington, Witkoff publicly reversed course, stating that any final deal must require Iran to “stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.” Is this the new US position or was this just political posturing by Witkoff in order to placate Zionist critics? Here’s a summary of the key issues: If the talks on Saturday address only the Uranium enrichment questions, then prospects for a deal look good. However, if Witkoff presents new demands that Iran terminate all enrichment and eliminate its missile capability, Iran will reject the US proposal and accuse Witkoff of bad faith. Here are some additional podcast interviews I have done over the past two days. The first is with Garland Nixon. He did the broadcast from the cabin of his Ford Truck. The second one is a podcast hosted by Andy Millette, who is an executive and entrepreneur based in the Atlanta metropolitan area, primarily known for his work in the natural resources investment sector and healthcare staffing. The last one is with a young fellow from India, Jyotishman Mudiar. He is the co-founder of the YouTube channel “India and the Global Left,” where he has interviewed prominent intellectuals such as Raghuram Rajan, Jayati Ghosh, Norman Finkelstein, Prabhat Patnaik, and Vijay Prashad. I don’t think I qualify as a “prominent” intellectual, but I was happy to have a chat with him. Son of the New American Revolution is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You're currently a free subscriber to Son of the New American Revolution. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. |