The announcement that United States and Iranian negotiators have agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding to end the war raises an obvious and pressing question. Why would Tehran sign anything with a Trump administration? The biggest danger is not simply that the United States will renege on its commitments or fail to deliver on economic promises. The greatest threat is another surprise attack. Yet Iran signs because they approach this agreement with clear eyes, knowing full well it is unlikely to be respected and demanding concrete verification rather than trusting empty promises.
There can be little doubt that the Iranians understand the nature of their adversary. The leaders who remain have colleagues, friends, and family members killed by American and Israeli strikes in the February 28 decapitation attacks. They remember the assassination of Qasem Soleimani and the sabotage of nuclear facilities. They also remember how International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors provided intelligence that facilitated attacks, proving that international organizations cannot be trusted to maintain neutrality. This is a leadership that operates on zero faith in Western good intentions.
Despite what is clearly a strategic victory in surviving the initial onslaught, the country has been battered extensively over the past months. Civilian infrastructure …read more
Source:: Ron Paul Institute