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AP:
"Setting up a potential showdown with Iran, the head of the U.N.
atomic agency said Tuesday that a nuclear agreement being worked on by
Tehran and six world powers would give his experts the right to push for
access to Iranian military sites. International Atomic Energy Agency head
Yukiya Amano spoke as negotiators opened a new round of talks aimed at
reaching a deal by the end of June... In an Associated Press interview
Tuesday, Amano said Iran specifically agreed to implement what's known as
the agency's 'Additional Protocol' when it agreed to the outlines of the
deal now being worked on... 'In many other countries from time to time we
request access to military sites when we have the reason to, so why not
Iran?' he said. 'If we have a reason to request access, we will do so,
and in principle Iran has to accept it.' Amano said the agency can
request access, clarification or a 'short-notice inspection' anytime
'there is any inconsistency (or) abnormality' to what Iran has declared
as its nuclear work or assets." http://t.uani.com/1JEVD2x
AP:
"A senior Iranian military official has warned the Saudi-led
coalition targeting Yemeni rebels that blocking an Iranian aid ship bound
for Yemen will 'spark a fire,' as a five-day humanitarian cease-fire
appeared to hold early Wednesday after going into effect the day before.
'I bluntly declare that the self-restraint of Islamic Republic of Iran is
not limitless,' Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, the deputy chief of staff, told
Iran's Arabic-language Al-Alam state TV late Tuesday. 'Both Saudi Arabia
and its novice rulers, as well as the Americans and others, should be
mindful that if they cause trouble for the Islamic Republic with regard
to sending humanitarian aid to regional countries, it will spark a fire,
the putting out of which would definitely be out of their hands.' Iran
says the ship, which departed Monday, is carrying food, medicine, tents
and blankets, as well as reporters, rescue workers and peace activists.
It says the ship is expected to arrive at Yemen's port city of Hodeida
next week. Iran's navy said Tuesday it will protect the ship, and on
Wednesday Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said Iran would not
permit any country involved in the Yemen war to inspect its cargo... In
Washington, U.S. Army Col. Steve Warren said the American military is
monitoring the cargo ship and warned Iran against 'planning some sort of
stunt.' He said the Iranian naval escort is unnecessary and that Iran
should send the ship to Djibouti, where humanitarian efforts for Yemen
are being coordinated." http://t.uani.com/1G6lCB1
NYT:
"Ahead of a two-day meeting with senior officials from a half-dozen
Persian Gulf countries, President Obama on Tuesday defended his efforts
to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, but promised that the United States
would not stop trying to prevent Iranian aggression against other nations
in the region. 'Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism,' Mr. Obama said in
written answers submitted to a Middle Eastern newspaper and published in
English and Arabic. 'It helps prop up the Assad regime in Syria. It
supports Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It aids the
Houthi rebels in Yemen. So countries in the region are right to be deeply
concerned about Iran's activities, especially its support for violent proxies
inside the borders of other nations.' ... Mr. Obama said in his written
answers to the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that the United States
would remain 'vigilant against Iran's other reckless behavior' in the
region by maintaining a military presence and helping gulf nations to
deter aggression. 'We've continued to fully enforce sanctions against
Iran for its support of terrorism and its ballistic missile program - and
we will enforce these sanctions going forward, even if we reach a nuclear
deal with Iran,' Mr. Obama said." http://t.uani.com/1Fe1Dzy
Nuclear Program & Negotiations
RFE/RL: "Iranian lawmakers have signed and proposed a bill that, if
passed by parliament, would stop nuclear talks with the United States
until Washington stops issuing threats tied to the outcome of the
negotiations. The 80 lawmakers who signed the bill presented it to a
parliamentary board on May 12, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.
The legislation would need to be passed by a majority of the 249-member
parliament to be approved. Lawmakers apparently proposed the bill after
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in recent weeks that all military
options were 'on the table' if diplomacy with Tehran failed, and after
the U.S. Senate passed legislation requiring that Congress be able to
approve any nuclear deal with Iran. The Iranian bill, which has 'triple
urgency' status, would require the government to halt nuclear talks until
Washington apologizes and stops making threats against Iran, according to
IRNA." http://t.uani.com/1QJcaGQ
Congressional
Action
Politico: "House Republican leaders are unlikely to allow amendments
to the Senate-passed Iran bill, bucking a clutch of conservatives who
wanted to change the language, according to multiple sources familiar
with internal planning. The move all but assures passage of the
legislation when it comes up for a House vote, probably on Thursday. It
was approved by the Senate last week, 98-1. GOP leadership expects to
discuss its plans at a closed-door party meeting Wednesday. Members of
the House Freedom Caucus, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), are pushing
for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy
(R-Calif.) and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) to allow amendments. A
group of conservatives believe the legislation is too weak. But
leadership aides say the decision not to entertain amendments is all but
final." http://t.uani.com/1A0gsWr
Sanctions
Relief
Press TV (Iran): "Swedish Volvo Trucks Corporation has resumed its production
of heavy trucks in Iran, putting an end to four years of absence from the
country's massive market under sanctions. The company marked its return
by opening a production line for a new generation of Volvo FH trucks at
Saipa Diesel west of Tehran... The official said Saipa Diesel is in talks
with several reputable companies, including Mercedes Benz and Renault
Trucks. 'The signing of a joint venture agreement with Benz for
production of light, heavy and trailer trucks as well as buses and
minibuses is in the works. Moreover, this reputable company has taken
some steps for production of electric buses (in Iran),' Tanhapour
said." http://t.uani.com/1PGxtXf
Independent Online (South Africa): "International Relations Minister
Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has addressed the Iranian business community in
Tehran, calling Iran South Africa's second home. With South Africa's
business delegation to Iran now numbering 60 delegates, alongside 45
senior South African officials, it is the biggest South African delegation
ever to visit that country. 'South Africans and Iranians share the same
values, including those of non-alignment, independence and inclusive
development,' Nkoana-Mashabane said. 'We are imploring both the South
African and Iranian business communities to seize the moment and
practically engage on business partnerships,' she noted in her opening
remarks at the launch of the South Africa-Iran Business Forum. 'We are
natural economic partners as we have diversified economies and strong
manufacturing bases, and are a gateway to our respective continents.' ...
The South African business delegation have already been finalising deals
with their counterparts and positioning themselves for when sanctions are
lifted... Last week, Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson was in Iran
pursuing South Africa's energy interests." http://t.uani.com/1QJh46S
Press TV (Iran): "Iran's deputy minister of industry, mine and trade
says the country will host the biggest international conference on mines
and mineral industries to be attended by companies from 27 countries.
Speaking to Iranian and foreign reporters on Wednesday, Mehdi Karbasian
said that 284 domestic companies will be also present in the conference,
during which more than 200 mineral projects ready for investment will be
presented. Karbasian, who also heads the board of Iranian Mines and
Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), added
that the conference will be attended by foreign companies from 27
countries, including Germany, Sweden, Finland, China, India, Japan and
Canada. The official said the number of registered participants of the
conference reached 821 on Tuesday, including 73 senior managers of
well-known international companies." http://t.uani.com/1AWLEkn
Regional
Destabilization
Reuters: "U.S. President Barack Obama may fail to pacify Gulf Arab
fears over his Iran nuclear diplomacy at a summit this week, following a
pointed Saudi snub of the event. But a bigger question looms for
Washington: how much does it matter? Obama appears confident Washington
has enough leverage to fend off Sunni Arab pressure to do more to stop
arch-rival Shi'ite Iran from intervening in conflicts across much of the
region, underlining diverging interests between the United States and its
long-standing Gulf allies. By resisting a push by some Gulf Arab nations
for new formal security guarantees, for instance, Obama is gambling that
the close but often uneasy alliance can weather current differences,
especially given long-time Arab reliance on the U.S. military umbrella
and advanced weapons supplies... Some experts say a new generation of
Saudi leaders could respond with further military assertiveness in the
Gulf, where the kingdom is currently leading an Arab coalition in Yemen
against Iran-allied Houthi rebels." http://t.uani.com/1IAXZkp
National Journal: "When President Obama sits down for dinner
Wednesday night with representatives of Persian Gulf countries, he really
hopes no one mentions that these were not the guests he initially
invited. Forget that the Saudi king is AWOL, and forget that the leaders
of Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates also are staying home.
Also, forget that only Kuwait and Qatar are sending their emirs. That's
why the White House has mounted an aggressive campaign over the past two
days to obscure the fact that the Camp David summit with the six members
of the Gulf Cooperation Council is not meeting the expectations set 40
days ago when the president announced it in the Rose Garden. At the time,
Obama coupled the announcement with the statement that he had just gotten
off the phone with Saudi King Salman, implying that the summit had his
backing. And until Friday, U.S. officials were confident that the king
would arrive in D.C. on Wednesday for a private one-on-one talk with
Obama. So while the White House was a little slow to respond when the
Saudis stunned Washington by stating that the king was staying home and
sending lower-level officials, it has recovered with a media blitz
touting the official line that everything is going just the way the
summit planners wanted." http://t.uani.com/1PGwLJw
Human Rights
Free Beacon: "Iranian authorities have escalated their persecution
of religious minorities since the election of President Hassan Rouhani
despite his promises to grant them more rights, according to the U.S.
Commission on International Religious Freedom. The commission's annual
report for 2015 found that an increased number of religious minorities
have been jailed under Rouhani, who became president in 2013. He declared
that year that, 'All ethnicities, all religions, even religious
minorities, must feel justice'-comments that led many to perceive him as
a more moderate leader. Yet the conditions for believers in Iran have
deteriorated since his election, the commission said. 'The government of
Iran continues to engage in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations
of religious freedom, including prolonged detention, torture, and
executions based primarily or entirely upon the religion of the accused,'
the commission said in the report's section on Iran. 'Since his June 2013
election, President Hassan Rouhani has not delivered on his campaign
promises to strengthen civil liberties for religious minorities,' the
report added." http://t.uani.com/1PGwExH
Opinion &
Analysis
WSJ Editorial: "President Obama has often boasted that his diplomacy
disarmed Syria's Bashar Assad of his chemical weapons. Mark that down as
another non-achievement following news that investigators in Syria have
discovered new traces of the chemical precursors to sarin and VX nerve
agents at a previously undisclosed military research site. This is the
latest blow to the credibility of the 2013 U.S.-Russia deal to remove
chemical weapons from Assad's hands. The finding, first reported by
Reuters, is the clearest sign that Damascus lied about the size and
whereabouts of its existing stockpiles. The deception makes it difficult
to monitor compliance and highlights Damascus's lack of commitment to
implementing the deal. A report last year by the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found that weaponized chlorine gas
has been used 'systematically and repeatedly' against civilians in
northern Syria. As anti-Assad rebels have made fresh gains on the ground,
there has been an apparent uptick in the use of chlorine, which is
delivered using barrel bombs dropped from regime helicopters... All this
casts doubt on the White House's ability to hold Iran's leaders to the
terms of any deal they might strike over their nuclear program. As with Syria's
chemical weapons, the Iranian deal leaves the West in the dark about the
Islamic Republic's past weaponization activity, meaning international
investigators won't have a baseline against which to measure its future
efforts. And as with Syria, the Iranian deal ties investigators' hands.
Tehran has rejected snap inspections, and the Obama Administration has
acquiesced. If the world won't respond to evidence of cheating by a minor
state like Syria, why should anyone believe it would act against cheaters
in Iran?" http://t.uani.com/1RElKMC
Joshua Rovner in Lawfare: "Secret intelligence is playing a public
role in the ongoing debate over the Iran nuclear deal. If the deal is
finalized in June, Iran will sacrifice much of its existing uranium
enrichment capabilities in return for lifting some economic sanctions and
will have to accept an intrusive inspections regime to verify its
compliance for more than a decade. The presence of inspectors will create
new opportunities for intelligence collection: Not only will intelligence
agencies benefit from inspection reports dealing with Iran's nuclear
program, but they will be free to explore other areas of Iran's
scientific and associated industrial infrastructure. Obama administration
officials have expressed confidence that the intelligence community will
be able to watch Iran closely, and the intelligence community has
returned the compliment. In a recent public appearance, CIA Director John
Brennan expressed satisfaction that Iran had made so many concessions and
applauded U.S. diplomats for securing a deal that was 'as solid as you
can get.' There is no reason to doubt Brennan's sincerity. Indeed, while
relations between U.S. policymakers and intelligence leaders are
sometimes fractious, the two sides are on the same page when it comes to
Iran. Declassified U.S. estimates are broadly consistent with
administration statements on Iran's nuclear progress. Since 2007, the
intelligence community has assessed that Iran does not have an active
nuclear weapons program, but that it is committed to maintaining its
enrichment capability. While some hawks have criticized these estimates,
there is nothing to suggest that they were disputed by President Bush or
President Obama. And if intelligence on Iran is as good policymakers
believe, then there is no reason the intelligence community would worry
about its own ability to monitor Iranian compliance. But this synergy
between intelligence and policy may not last forever. What will happen,
for instance, if the intelligence community discovers that Iran is
cheating? Having staked itself to the nuclear deal, the administration
may be reluctant or unable to accept this kind of bad news. Worse yet,
the intelligence community will be under pressure to report on Iranian
activities in public, given that policymakers used intelligence as a
major selling point in the U.S. ability to verify compliance. Instead of
keeping intelligence under wraps, policymakers will be tempted to
politicize it by pressuring officials to report findings that are aligned
with their own views... For intelligence officials, the main lesson is to
stop trying to curry favor by softening estimates. In the last decade the
U.S. intelligence community has weathered repeated controversies, not
because it has played politics but because it has performed well. If it
detects Iranian cheating in the aftermath of the nuclear deal, it should
say so bluntly, even if this means upsetting policymakers who invested so
much in the effort. The long-term consequences of soft politicization far
outweigh the short-term discomfort of being honest. For policymakers, the
lesson is to take intelligence out of the spotlight. Using intelligence
to sell the Iran deal will reinforce the expectation that future
assessments will also be public. This will create a temptation to
pressure intelligence agencies to make sure their findings are consistent
with administration statements, and intelligence officials might tailor
their findings so they are inoffensive. The result will be mushy
conclusions useful to no one. Intelligence on Iran is very solid today,
and intelligence-policy relations are healthy. The best thing the
administration can do to preserve this happy status quo is to remove
secret intelligence from public view." http://t.uani.com/1cThJUQ
Tzvi Kahn in FPI: "The Senate's passage of the Iran Nuclear
Agreement Review Act (H.R. 1911) last week leaves Congress with a
discouragingly circumscribed role in approving a final deal with Tehran,
allowing the White House to implement a nuclear agreement even if it can
only muster the support of 34 senators. Despite this limitation, however,
the bill offers important oversight mechanisms that lawmakers can utilize
to challenge a bad deal and undermine its long-term viability. Congress
should take full advantage of them. The bipartisan legislation, which
passed by a resounding vote of 98-1, grants Congress a 30-day period to
review a final agreement with Tehran and decide whether to pass a
resolution of disapproval. Such a resolution would prevent the administration
from lifting any statutory sanctions on Iran, effectively preventing the
implementation of a deal. At the same time, a resolution of disapproval
would also be subject to a presidential veto, which would require a
two-thirds majority to override... At the same time, the bill hardly
renders Congress irrelevant. On the contrary, the legislation opens up
several avenues for a long-term strategy to defeat a bad deal. First, as
the Wall Street Journal has argued, the legislation would require the President
to certify every 90 days that Tehran is complying with an agreement and
not using covert measures to advance its nuclear program. In light of
Iran's lengthy track record of violating virtually every nuclear deal it
has signed, this may present a high bar. Congress should make clear that
it will expect detailed briefings to accompany any such certification in
the future. Second, a resolution of disapproval for a bad deal may fail
to receive the support of veto-proof majorities, but may nonetheless pass
both chambers with strong bipartisan support. This outcome would
demonstrate that a bad deal does not enjoy any real legitimacy.
Consequently, every vote still matters. Third, a congressional vote would
trigger a robust public debate that forces proponents of a bad deal -
including presidential candidates - to answer uncomfortable questions
about its flaws. As the Journal put it, 'Why, for instance, should Iran
get tens of billions of dollars in immediate sanctions relief, which
(money being fungible) will immediately be put to use funding missiles
for Hezbollah, rockets for Hamas, and barrel bombs for Bashar Assad?'
Even if this debate does not immediately defeat a bad deal, it will shape
how the next administration handles the issue. Despite its flaws, the
Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act will set the terms for a congressional
debate over any agreement that President Obama reaches with Iran. It
should help the American public understand how a bad deal would
jeopardize its security. And it will provide a vehicle for ongoing
congressional oversight of any agreement. Lawmakers should now make clear
how they will advance this debate, how they will prevent a bad deal, and
how they will exercise that oversight." http://t.uani.com/1bPpGsO
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Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against
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email Press@UnitedAgainstNuclearIran.com
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