Alert the BBC — Iran wants to talk

A few days ago, the BBC’s Jon Leyne noted how great it was that the Iranians seem willing to talk with the West over its pursuit of nuclear technology.  It never occurred to the Beeb that Iran just might be stalling through the use of diplomacy.  Reuters reports today that the Iranians have provided a little assistance to the BBC by bluntly stating the obvious:

Analysts also believe Tehran is using delaying tactics to press ahead with atomic work. An Iranian official said on Thursday time was on Iran’s side.

“We will review the package but not the part about enrichment freeze … We are moving forward with our work and Iran’s nuclear capability is being constantly augmented,” said the official, involved in talks with Solana in Tehran.

“Each passing day we are more advanced in nuclear technology, it gives us an upper hand in talks.”

The Iranians will discuss the incentives but not the condition for receiving them.  That reminds me of the time I walked into the car dealership to discuss the Lamborghini but not the payment.  It sounds about as reasonable as the Iranians, who as Reuters reports refuse to acknowledge any limitation on their nuclear program imposed by the West, especially the US.  “The time for ordering other nations is over,” they declared.

Maybe the time for Iranian access to international banking and trade markets is also over, although that seems less likely with Russia and China blocking more effective sanctions.  The Iranians insist that the inflated price of oil has cushioned the blow from the first three rounds of sanctions that got past the two Iranian trading partners, which is likely true.  When the sanctions first got imposed, oil prices were less than half of what it is today, around $65 a barrel in 2006.

If the West wants to get serious with Iran, the terms will have to get tougher.  Two methods could be used with oil to make it happen.  We can either block oil shipments out of Iran and cut them off from their money altogether, which would provoke a war and send oil prices into the stratosphere, or we can start massively producing oil elsewhere and dilute the prices enough to cause an economic collapse in Iran.  One Western power has the resources to do the latter, but its Congress hasn’t figured out that domestic oil production could be strategic in the war on terror by bankrupting its chief sponsor.

Do you think Congress will figure this out before the West gives the Iranians that Lamborghini?

Blowback