- Iranians holding Ashura mourning for Imam Hussein
- Third step: Iran officially informs EU of plan to expand nuclear R&D
- Iran expands nuclear R&D program: Rouhani
- Iran goes ahead in space tech, despite US sanctions: ISA
- Resistance Front undermining Israeli regime power: Top commander
- Iran: 7 crew members of detained UK ship freed
- US addiction to sanction threaten its power: Iran’s Zarif
- Dutch role in 2007 Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear site under scrutiny: Iraian FM Spox.
- Iran: ‘Sustainable Security 2019’ kicks off in Caspian Sea
- Iran’s Zarif leaves Tehran for Moscow
- Shiraz University ranked 1st in liver transplantation: Iranian health official
- Japan’s Abe to meet Iran’s president to discuss easing tension in region
- Downing of US spy drone shattered war threats against Iran: Top IRGC commander
- IAEO head reports development of first ion-therapy hospital in west of Asia
- Iranian Taekwondo team wins 2019 World Cup championship
- US sanctions failed to force Iran to buckle: Report
- Crew fixing Iran oil tanker broken down in Red Sea
- As Iranians hold nerves, US seeks to scare off trade
- Leader expresses concern about Kashmir, urges India to follow fair policy toward Muslim-majority region
- Iran saffron exports down due to smuggling, government restrictions: Exporter
- Iran FM warns US against ‘serious miscalculation’ in Persian Gulf
- Iran’s resistance policy led to release of oil tanker: MP
- Iran in reverse brain drain as top students come home in rising numbers
- Iran official calls for compensation for tanker seizure
- Iran hails N Korea for standing against ‘unilateral’ US demands
- Shia Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Ghadir
- North Korea praises Iran’s anti-US struggle
- Zarif says to meet French president Friday
- Iranian court hearing case of UK oil tanker
- Over half of Japanese voters oppose joining US-led anti-Iran coalition in Persian Gulf: Poll
- IME trade ups by 21 percent in July
- Finland backs INSTEX in defiance of US
- US anti-Iran policy in high seas harms Europeans: LA Times
- Iran, China confer on Syria
- Iran, Finland share views on Persian Gulf dialogue forum: Zarif
- Iran warns US against seizure of oil tanker
- Iraq eager to benefit from Iranian Police’s experience
- Iran planning 3rd step to reduce nuclear commitments: Spokesman
- Leader grants clemency to over 1,000 Iranian inmates
- Registration for Arbaeen Pilgrimage to begin in Iran on Friday
- Iran, Iraq agree to reopen Khosravi border crossing
- Iran deplores suicide attack at Kabul wedding hall
- Iran to hold int'l hand-woven carpets expo
- Zarif meets with Iran-Kuwait Friendship Group members
- Adrian Darya oil tanker not under any sanctions, says Iran envoy
- ‘Iran to stay in nuclear deal as long as its interests are met’
- India envoy happy with positive trend of trade with Iran
- Iran’s annual export of white meat tops 2.5m tons: Minister
- Iranian scientist discovers new state of matter
- Iran, Japan diplomats discuss bilateral ties
- Iran, Ansarullah, European representatives Yemen developments
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- US issues seizure warrant for Iranian supertanker 'Grace 1'
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- Iran’s Zarif due in Kuwait on Saturday
- US faces humiliating defeat after Gibraltar releases Iranian tanker: Envoy
- Spokesman rejects claim on Iran’s commitment in exchange for tanker release
- Zarif reacts to release of Iranian tanker in Gibraltar
- Israel, UAE engaged in secret talks on Iran arranged by US: Report
- US threatens visa ban as Iranian-operated tanker sets to sail from Gibraltar
- Enemies must factor Iran's global power in their calculations: IRGC's chief commander
- Trump’s administration conflicting messages to Iran baffle go-betweens: Report
- Gibraltar releases Iran-operated tanker despite US pressure
TEHRAN, November 18 - A former British ambassador to Tehran says US’s harsh approach toward Iran is destined to fail as it lacks international support.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - In an opinion piece published in The Guardian on Friday, Richard Dalton said the US claim that Iran was not behaving like a normal country is "unintentionally ironic," citing Washington's complicity in regional conflicts.
"The US is not a “normal” country. Complicity in a horrifying aggression against Yemen and supporting the extension of Israeli colonization of Palestine are not acts of normality," he said. "The truth is that all who intervene in the Middle East’s regional struggles, including Iran, are doing what states always have done – trying to influence outcomes in the direction of their real or perceived interests."
Dalton also predicted that Iran would remain "basically stable" despite the economic problems caused by US sanctions.
Earlier this month, the administration of US President Donald Trump unleashed a second round of sanctions against Iran since May, when Washington exited the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in defiance of international objections.
The new measures -- which had been lifted under the JCPOA -- target 700 individuals, banks, aircraft, ships and companies tied to Iran’s energy and financial industries. The first round was re-imposed in August.
Dalton further said that any replacement for the Iran nuclear deal "seems improbable."
"Iran is open to negotiations, but only on terms that it deems acceptable. Like the US, it will try to build a position of strength from which to talk. The bottom line is that Iran will only change track when it thinks it can expect genuine American concessions," he added.
The British diplomat also noted that the US had failed to garner international support for its anti-Iran bans and dissuade buyers from purchasing Iranian crude.
"And, crucially, there is no internationally agreed campaign against Iran this time. The EU, for example, has designed a work-around to achieve some financial flows, though the Iranians are not relying on this ever working," he said.
Recently, the Trump administration went back on its pledge to reduce Iran's oil revenue to zero and gave waivers to almost all major customers of the country.
"Chinese, Indian and Turkish demands for Iranian oil could prompt the creation of alternative channels of exchange in world trade, leading to a fall in the standing of the dollar and of the ability of the US to weaponize it in future," Dalton pointed out.
He said that US's belligerent stance toward Iran would further weaken Washington rather than bring rewards for it.
"Only a shift in approach, namely the dropping of many of the demands for changes in behavior, showing a modicum of respect, and opening negotiations on realistic terms, will work," he said. "With its current policies, however, rather than reaping strategic rewards, the US may be putting on a show of weakness to the world. With no prospect of bringing allies to its side or forcing Iran to accept its excessive demands, it is on a hiding to nothing."
The EU is currently working to set up a mechanism called the special purpose vehicle (SPV) in a bid to circumvent US sanctions and maintain the economic benefits promised in the JCPOA for Iran.
'UN should intervene'
Journalist and political commentator Syed Mohsin Abbas told Press TV that the UN should intervene to deal with US violations of international agreements.
"The UN has to take this very very seriously. If it doesn’t, it is just another nail in the coffin of the United Nations, which has become an increasingly ineffective world body for keeping international agreements alive," he said.
The analyst also emphasized that the US could not be trusted as long as its international commitments were concerned.
"Iran is absolutely right on this, because of course the US is now becoming an unreliable partner for its own long-term allies and it's reneged on an agreement with the JCPOA," he said. "There is no guarantee with this administration that they won’t pull out of agreements of any kinds."
Source: Presstv
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