Taqiyya: Islamic doctrine of deceit

"Contrary to what many think, that we are only discussing one issue, it is not correct. We are discussing many issues and nothing is agreed until everything is agreed."
"Contrary to what the Iranians are saying with regard to 90 percent of an accord being done, that's not correct. We are not close to an agreement."
"We are pretty far away. There are a lot of issues that still need to be resolved. The Iranians must make substantial concessions."
"Research and development currently has become the most critical and difficult issue, and there won’t be an accord if the Iranians don’t back down."

"They [Iranian negotiators] insist they have to go immediately [sanctions targeting nuclear program]. No way. It is out of the question."
European negotiator demanding anonymity

Iran's FM Zarif (C on left) and head of the AEO of Iran Salehi (C on right) with colleagues in Lausanne March 19, 2015 . (photo credit:REUTERS)

"The main issues have been closed. I hope that in the remaining time we can close this."
"[One] final item still missing; that resolved] we can say that on technical issues, things are clear on both sides."
"Of course there are many details, but I can say that, as a whole, I am optimistic [of a deal before the deadline]."
Ali Akhbar Salehi, Iranian nuclear chief

"[A comprehensive accord would result in] phased, proportionate [relief from sanctions but such relief could be reversed should the Islamic republic violate any final deal]."

"[That is simply not true] Iran crank up and develop a bomb when the deal ends]. To the contrary, Iran would be prohibited from developing a nuclear weapon in perpetuity -– and we would have a much greater ability to detect any effort by Iran to do so."

"[Some constraints could be lifted for a] significant period [others would last] indefinitely, including a stringent and intrusive monitoring and inspections regime [by the IAEA]."

"That [restrictions on centrifuges] would provide us more than enough time to detect and act on any Iranian transgression. The critical question of the possible military dimension of Iran's program... would have to be part of any agreement." 

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken

This testimony from Mr. Blinken at a hearing of the  House Foreign Affairs Committee was greeted by both Democrats and Republicans present with an lively degree of skepticism, with some snorting that the reality of the situation has been that the Islamic Republic of Iran has in the past "been violating those commitment for years". They pointed out as well of the necessity that restrictions be included on the country's robust and threatening ballistic missile program in any nuclear deal as insurance against Iran using them to carry atomic bombs.

Iran's representatives appear to believe, however, that they have the upper hand as their top nuclear official claimed that the main disagreements between his government and the American negotiators and the other partners in the P-5+1 team -- France, Britain, China and Russia, plus Germany -- have been resolved and that little is left to iron out to meet the end-of-March deadline for the framework deal. That deal to place reliable limitations on Iran's nuclear activities to restrict them to what Iran insists they're intended for; strictly peaceful energy needs and medical isotope production.

The West would then be prepared to proportionally release Iran from the economically crippling sanctions. Enabling Iran to get on with its other programs, funding, training and arming Shia non-state and state militias alike to bring them ever more comfortably into its sphere of influence from the Middle East to North Africa and even Latin America and Asia; Iran has been growing influential tentacles. (Strangely enough, although Iran has found its economy strangled, it has managed to continue developing its long-range rockets, and to fund its terrorist proxies.)

The final agreement to be obtained by the end of June looks ever more possible, and the Iranians are smiling broadly. On the other hand, another unnamed but senior American official claims the sides, though having made progress, still face a struggle in eliminating differences on expectations for Tehran to meet before a gradual end to sanctions can be counted on. The disputes focus mostly on technical issues such as the centrifuge numbers Iran could be permitted to operate.

U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz joined the talks along with Mr. Salehi in an attempt to reason out technical differences. Republicans in the U.S. continue to argue their case that a deal with the Republic would never be sufficient to guarantee the country that has become so skilled in evading demands over its ambitions for nuclear status would run roughshod over any promises it makes to quell international suspicion over its true plans.

Iranian missiles are displayed at a park in northern Tehran (AFP Photo/Atta Kenare)

This is a country, after all, that has threatened another country in the Middle East with annihilation, not merely once in the hallowed halls of the United Nations, but frequently, expressed by the Grand Ayatollah Khamenei himself as well on occasion. Iran's designs for the Middle East as one of the only two non-Arab countries, to dominate all other Muslim countries through its Shi'ite brand of apocalyptic Salafist Islamism represents to the Sunni-majority countries a looming threat.

Which is why the U.S. Republicans hold the position that such an agreement would be unenforceable, and Iran would inevitably reach the status it so craves, as a nuclear-armed state. And the rush would be on for Saudi Arabia, Egypt and perhaps others to claim their own self-defence needs in the hopes of nuclear deterrence. And while President Omama continues to insist that his administration would never agree to any deal that would permit Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, his words ring hollow against the actions of the past and Iran's slippery reputation for taqqiya.

Otherwise known as the kind of deceit permitted in Islam to throw one's enemies off track and gain the desired advantage -- at any cost.