(New York Post) Amir Taheri - Iran and the P5+1 group have been engaged in talks in one form or another for almost two decades without even agreeing on what they were talking about. The core issue, once again spelled out by Iran's Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei last week, is this: The Islamic Republic sees itself as successor to the Soviet Union in the role of chief challenger to "American global hegemony." It hopes to dominate the Middle East, and beyond it the Muslim world, with a narrative of jihad and eventual triumph of Islam. To that end, Iran needs to champion the destruction of Israel to attract support from "Arab masses." The Islamic Republic also needs, in Khamenei's words, "complete mastery of nuclear science and technology." Rouhani's aim is to achieve recognition by the international community of Iran's right to enrich uranium and produce plutonium.
2013-10-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive