Zarif is a diplomat wannabe. Pure and simple. Not only does he insist of being treated as a diplomat, but also as a scholar of international affairs in the same league of a Kissinger and his one-time opponent, Zbig Brezezinski. Well, he is neither. Neither is he a Andrei Gromyko, the top-notch foreign minster of the Soviet Union. And no, he is not even a Molotov or a Dean Acheson or a George Kennan.
He is a failed student who stormed the San Francisco consulate in the wake of the 1979 revolution. Owing to his accented English--considered an asset in a regime with a few fluent English speakers, let alone those with an American or British accent--he thought he could untie the Iran-US knot, not appreciating that Gromyko, Kenna, Zbig, Kissinger were "one of the boys in the top power structure", whereas Zarif never was. This is important.
I have a suspicion that he was aided by a Vali Nasr or his a member of his cohort, Trita Parsi or some other flunkies--these are my personal views--who are part of the "amen corner" of the Islamic Republic in the DC political arena.
The Islamic regime is now a regime not led by the clergy, rather by mid-level and a handful of top line revolutionary guards. The putative homosexual supreme leader, Mojatab Khamenei, is the hidden "messiah" of a system that is fighting tooth and nail for its survival.
The biggest catastrophe on this moribund system will occur when the war ends and these bandits will have to manage a broken economy and body politic.
I support Reza Pahlavi for the efforts he has marshaled to present himself as an alternative, but I am mindful of the history of Iran wherein an "unknown" quantity rises to the surface and rescues the nation. For those familiar with Iran's history, I am referring to Nader Shah and Reza Khan.
Both these individuals belonged to the praetorian guards of their respective dynasties: Nader Shah to the Qezelbash of the Safavid Dynasty and Reza Khan to the Qajar Dynasty.
These praetorian guardsmen had sworn to protect the sovereign but in a moment of enthusiasm, they took the baton and re-positioned Iran on an even keel.
I can see a new man to emerge and who know, have Reza Pahlavi as part of his act.
Why?
1. Because the new emergent person is unknown outside Iran and needs a fresh face; and
2. Reza Pahlavi needs a person who has access to the levers of power.
A combination of a modern face and intra-regime capabilities.
Then, America and Israel MUST help the duo and rebuild Iran. An Iran, which once back on its feet, will be the West's strongest friend, bar none. Not Turkey, nor Germany, nor France and nor Britain.
Nobody knows what is Trump’s checkmate move, all we are seeing is many pieces keep moving. I agree with Mehdi’s understanding that Zarif’s strategy is an illusion from the typical Iranian view of a deal.
Nothing symbolizes the JCPOA years as the picture you posted of Kerry and Zarif: Kerry is in crutches because he broke his leg riding his bicycle around Vienna during the negotiations.
In 2026 the negotiating team doesn't ride bicycles or play games when confronting the Islamic Republic.
This raises serious questions about the actually feasibility of successful negotiations. If the supposed ‘moderate’ wing of the regime is too stubborn to see how things have changed in the last 10 years, there’s really not much to talk about.
Zarif is a thug pretending to be a diplomat. A snake like thug! But he also suffers from delusion like the rest of the opium gang running Iran.
Zarif is a diplomat wannabe. Pure and simple. Not only does he insist of being treated as a diplomat, but also as a scholar of international affairs in the same league of a Kissinger and his one-time opponent, Zbig Brezezinski. Well, he is neither. Neither is he a Andrei Gromyko, the top-notch foreign minster of the Soviet Union. And no, he is not even a Molotov or a Dean Acheson or a George Kennan.
He is a failed student who stormed the San Francisco consulate in the wake of the 1979 revolution. Owing to his accented English--considered an asset in a regime with a few fluent English speakers, let alone those with an American or British accent--he thought he could untie the Iran-US knot, not appreciating that Gromyko, Kenna, Zbig, Kissinger were "one of the boys in the top power structure", whereas Zarif never was. This is important.
I have a suspicion that he was aided by a Vali Nasr or his a member of his cohort, Trita Parsi or some other flunkies--these are my personal views--who are part of the "amen corner" of the Islamic Republic in the DC political arena.
The Islamic regime is now a regime not led by the clergy, rather by mid-level and a handful of top line revolutionary guards. The putative homosexual supreme leader, Mojatab Khamenei, is the hidden "messiah" of a system that is fighting tooth and nail for its survival.
The biggest catastrophe on this moribund system will occur when the war ends and these bandits will have to manage a broken economy and body politic.
I support Reza Pahlavi for the efforts he has marshaled to present himself as an alternative, but I am mindful of the history of Iran wherein an "unknown" quantity rises to the surface and rescues the nation. For those familiar with Iran's history, I am referring to Nader Shah and Reza Khan.
Both these individuals belonged to the praetorian guards of their respective dynasties: Nader Shah to the Qezelbash of the Safavid Dynasty and Reza Khan to the Qajar Dynasty.
These praetorian guardsmen had sworn to protect the sovereign but in a moment of enthusiasm, they took the baton and re-positioned Iran on an even keel.
I can see a new man to emerge and who know, have Reza Pahlavi as part of his act.
Why?
1. Because the new emergent person is unknown outside Iran and needs a fresh face; and
2. Reza Pahlavi needs a person who has access to the levers of power.
A combination of a modern face and intra-regime capabilities.
Then, America and Israel MUST help the duo and rebuild Iran. An Iran, which once back on its feet, will be the West's strongest friend, bar none. Not Turkey, nor Germany, nor France and nor Britain.
Nobody knows what is Trump’s checkmate move, all we are seeing is many pieces keep moving. I agree with Mehdi’s understanding that Zarif’s strategy is an illusion from the typical Iranian view of a deal.
Zarif obviously cannot write it without some endorsement from the regime but wondering who that DC professor is.
The usual suspects:
1. Vali Nasr, Hopkins
2. Trita Parsi, Quincy Institute
3. Ali Vaez, International Crisis Group
4. Others within the Council on Foreign Relations
Nothing symbolizes the JCPOA years as the picture you posted of Kerry and Zarif: Kerry is in crutches because he broke his leg riding his bicycle around Vienna during the negotiations.
In 2026 the negotiating team doesn't ride bicycles or play games when confronting the Islamic Republic.
This raises serious questions about the actually feasibility of successful negotiations. If the supposed ‘moderate’ wing of the regime is too stubborn to see how things have changed in the last 10 years, there’s really not much to talk about.