Behind the Facade of 'Progress' in US-Iran Talks
When US and Iranian officials speak of 'progress' in nuclear negotiations, the detail-free pronouncements often mask a deeper dynamic. These periodic claims of headway, frequently followed by protracted stalemates, divert attention from Washington's long-standing policy of economic strangulation and strategic encirclement. For 45 years, comprehensive sanctions have targeted virtually every sector
of the Iranian economy, a punitive measure far exceeding any levied against nuclear-armed states like India or Pakistan. The current talks, characterized by their opacity, echo the deliberate obfuscation that preceded the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018. That landmark agreement, which saw Iran dramatically curtail its nuclear program under extensive
international oversight, was unilaterally abandoned by the US despite Iran's full compliance, as certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency. This betrayal directly undermined the confidence-building measures painstakingly constructed over years, demonstrating a consistent preference for coercive diplomacy over genuine engagement. Understanding this context requires recalling the 1907
Anglo-Russian Convention. This agreement carved up spheres of influence in Persia, effectively denying the Iranian people their sovereignty and setting a precedent for external interference that profoundly shaped the 20th century. Today, Iran faces demands to dismantle defenses and abandon elements of its civilian nuclear program that are legally compliant with international treaties, while the