This week constitutes a test of the flirtation that began between Washington and Tehran ever since the tortured lover, Barack Obama, did his best to obtain the historic opportunity of having a phone conversation with the so-called "moderate" Iranian President, Hassan Rohani. The week kicked off yesterday with the 34th anniversary celebration of the occupation of the "spies' den," which used to be called the American Embassy in Tehran prior to November 4, 1979. Fifty-two diplomats and employees of that embassy were held hostage for 444 days. The spokesperson for the individuals who occupied the embassy, without any consideration for Tehran's responsibility of protecting the diplomatic delegation, was none other than Masoumeh Ebtekar, who is currently one of the most prominent and closest aides of Rohani. Yesterday constituted a chance to prove the Iranians' good intentions by responding to what has come to be described as the new climate of relationships between the two countries. However, media reports indicated that the masses chanting "Death to America" in front of the former building of the American embassy were the largest in years. Furthermore, the Chairman for the Committee for National Security at the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, spoke on national television and said that this slogan represented the simplest response to the American hegemony. This comes in light of the ongoing negotiations between the two countries in Geneva over Iran's nuclear file. The next round of negotiations will be held in two days, on Thursday. The Iranian Guide, Ali Khamenei, preceded this round by announcing that he is not optimistic in regard to the talks with the Americans but that he is ready to give the negotiators a chance. Hours later, Hassan Rohani repeated Khamenei's words and added: "However, this does not mean that we cannot have hope in solving the problems". The question to be raised at this point is: Why are the Iranians questioning the success of the negotiations if they are convinced that "the other side has experienced a positive transformation" as per the Deputy Foreign Minister and negotiator on the nuclear file, Abbas Araghchi? The answer to this question, quite clearly and simply is: Iran is not ready to commit to the terms needed to reach an agreement and to convince the world that Iran is determined to prove the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. Iran does realize Obama's desire to reach a settlement to this matter. Therefore, it is ready to play the game of gaining time. Iran is also working for its own interests, i.e. for lifting the sanctions that are greatly affecting the Iranian economy and the regime's credibility and popularity. These sanctions might constitute a cause for a popular coup against the Iranian regime. In this endeavor, Tehran is relying on the fact that the American president will not be staging any kind of confrontations in order to prove the seriousness of the American decision, even if this would ultimately hurt America's reputation and regional relations. And because Tehran is aware of Barack Obama's weakness, it is now taking advantage of the unprecedented regression in the American president's popularity by proposing a deal that will further enhance his weak position. This was explained by the Iranian Chief of Staff Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi who alluded to Iran's "rational diplomacy," which, according to him, represents a winning card in Obama's hand. Firouzabadi expressed an unprecedented keenness on "rescuing" the head of the state dubbed the "Great Satan" by saying: this is a major historic opportunity and the American Embassy must not waste it... The American oppositionists do not want to see Obama making use of this winning card in the internal and international relations. However, Obama must not surrender to his adversaries. Iran is rescuing Obama...from his adversaries. Such is the current situation of the United States under its 44th president. This is perhaps the right time to mourn the present status of a major country. However, this could also constitute a lesson on the threat of depending on America's friendship. The lesson could very well come from Ali Khamenei who said: Every population or state that trusted America ended up receiving a blow from it. An old saying goes: O God, save me from my friends...
