Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls for struggle against US, nuclear deal or not

[TexasTowelie]

Source: AP

VIENNA — As negotiators at Iran nuclear talks labored to make headway, the country's supreme leader called Saturday for the struggle against the U.S. to continue, in comments suggesting that Tehran's distrust of Washington will persist no matter what the outcome of the talks.

The negotiations entered their 15th day Saturday with no indications of major progress after three extensions and four target dates for a deal, and diplomats said it remained unclear whether an agreement could be reached by Monday, the latest deadline.

Iran and the U.S. have threatened to walk away unless the other side makes concessions. Although it was unclear whether Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was preparing the ground for the failure of the talks, his comments were likely to add to skepticism over the outcome at the negotiating table.

Iran's state-run Press TV cited Khamenei as calling the U.S. an "excellent example of arrogance." It said Khamenei told university students in Tehran to be "prepared to continue the struggle against arrogant powers."

Read more: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/07/irans_ayatollah_ali_khamenei_c.html#incart_most-comments

[delrem]

1. I wonder why any Iranian would think that?

Whatever could it be that would lead an Iranian to feel a little distrust, when dealing with the USA?

Recent history couldn't explain such a thing, so what could the explanation be?

[rpannier]

2. Meh!

So did the Soviets and we had agreements with them
As did the Chinese, etc
His comments will likely be hand-wringing and whine for the conservatives

[7962]

3. When have they ever STOPPED calling for "Death to America"? nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. A better question might be when did they start, and why?

[Nye Bevan]

6. That would be under Jimmy Carter

“Death to America, death to Israel, damnation to the Jews.”

Americans and Israelis are, understandably, a little put off by the motto. Yet the Houthis are downplaying its importance: The New York Times' Rod Nordland says that when he talked to a Houthi leader recently, he was told it was "just a slogan, we don't mean it literally."

Could that be true? “Death to America” and similar hateful mottoes have endured for more than 35 years, and -- given the attention drawn by the Houthis’ iteration -- they don't appear to have lost their power to shock.

"Death to America" has its origins in America's most consistent modern foe: The Islamic Republic of Iran. The slogan originated during street protests that led to Iran's 1979 revolution, when angry demonstrators railed against Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Iranian shah.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/02/18/the-history-of-death-to-america/

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. Yep. n/t

[karynnj]

4. our language is less exteme, bur mirrors this

Both Obama and Kerry have for two years spoken of this deal as one that will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. They have been clear that all other issues are separate and still exist. Iran was included a month ago in both the terrorism and human rights State Department reports.

They have also made clear nothing depends on trusting Iran. One interesting comment by Netanyahu in April after the framework was announced was that even if Iran complied with the agreement and did not try to make a nuclear bomb for 10 years, it was a bad deal. This from the guy with the cartoon showing that before the negotiations they were a few months from having one.

I am reading the new Gary Hart bill which includes some comments on the current world. On Iran, his comment is interesting as he sees the agreement as very important and states that the reason is to reduce the chance of Israel attacking and triggering a regional war.

If there is a deal, Obama and Kerry and the other nations might succeed in avoiding a war that we have been sleep walking towards. Even if the agreement does just that, this is important. If Kerry and Zarif continue to try to resolve other issues, it could end up being the key to dealing with the Pandora's box of terrorism opened by BOTH the Iraq wars.