What's really maddening about this story is not that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said it, nor that he means it. You expect both of those. What's really maddening is that John Kerry will sit there and tell you this is all perfectly fine because it's within the framework of the deal he negotiated. Which it is, which is why the deal is so foolhardy. Voice of America reports:
"I want to assure our people that the principles set by people, the rights which belong to the people, the framework which the Supreme Leader has set, these will be applied until the end of the negotiations. Meaning that in the country, our nuclear right will be operational with more strength and clarity. Even the right of enrichment which is a part of our nuclear rights will continue. It [enrichment] is being continued today, it will continue tomorrow, and our enrichment will never stop. This is our red line," said Rouhani.
The statement came days after Iran agreed to an interim deal with the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany to limit portions of its nuclear program in exchange for targeted relief from international sanctions.
Under the agreement, Iran can continue enriching uranium, but only up to 5 percent, a level that is suitable for generating power. Iran also must neutralize its stock of uranium enriched to 20 percent, which can be used for medical research but is also a short step from the level needed to create a nuclear bomb.
The West wants the Iranians to stop enrichment entirely, in exchange for sanctions relief that would include the provision of enough power resources that they don't have to do their own enrichment to produce the energy they need. That would serve as a true impediment to the re-starting (assuming it ever really stops) of Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. The idea that we'll accept enrichment to 5 percent or 20 percent, but that we'll somehow stand in the gap and prevent them from going any farther, is simply ludicrious - especially in a closed society in which it will be easy for the regime to hide its true activities.
This is why the Israelis are stepping up their readiness for war. They know who Iranian nuclear missiles would target - them - and Benjamin Netanyahu has seen too much in his life and career to bow to the foolishness that Israel can depend on the likes of Obama, Kerry and the international community to ensure Israel's security. Just as Israel didn't hesitate to strike Iraq's nuclear reactor in Osirak in 1981, don't think for a second that they will hesitate to take out Iran's if they have lost all confidence in their U.S. allies.
And if you were Netanyahu, would you have any confidence in Obama or Kerry at this point? Would you ever have had any?
