University of Tehran Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi explains the JCPOA, western sanctions against Iran and Iranians as well as Iran’s response to US military threats on BBC HardTalk.
Ed Note: Listening to Dr Marandi, one can identify the tactics used in negotiations as almost exactly those that we see now in the Russia/US/NATO talks. Iran is also insisting on verifiable guarantees, and complete removal of sanctions before considering rejoining the JCPOA. The interviewer at the end refers to the ‘International Community’.
This is Marandi’s take-home quote: “Western Countries are not the ‘International Community’. That era has finished!”
Dr. Marandi has almost superhuman patience and dignity. He is also very eloquent and presents a bulletproof argument.
Words can’t describe how disgusting this bbc interviewer really is. POS. His damn demeanor and pretentiousness is infuriating.
The man on western streets doesn’t know anything about the Iranian people. Iranians are very cultured and pleasant people to deal with – all this disgusting propaganda is so obvious, but most swallow it.
God bless the Iranian people
You are correct – Professor Marandi did represent the Iranian people with dignity and extreme patience. Well done to him – excellent responses.
This interview should go viral especially the last five/10 minutes when he decimates the “Western” International community – so many excellent one liners – and his clear rebuttal on human rights. He warned Stephen not to go there or he would bring up the UK’s treatment of Julian Assange and many others. He mentioned the theft of Venezuela’s gold by the UK too. I loved it when he called Israel a “puny country”.
The BBC Interviewer was a pompous “know it all” who was exposed – and he knew it! How Prof Marandi kept his patience with the constant interruptions.
Iran has one of the oldest civilizations in the world – over 6,000 years. God bless them and I hope these sanctions are stopped as so many ordinary citizens have died. Its a tragedy and disgusting.
I recommend muting the BBC interviewer and just listening to Prof. Marandi’s answers – you lose nothing ;).
I was going to make a post, but You’ve pretty much said it for me. Ironically, the BBC man started by more or less admitting that it is not possible to make an agreement with the US that will ( might ) be honoured longer than the term of the sitting President.
!!BBC HardTalk!!! …… B.B.Z. – Brit Bullshit for Zionism!! with Bard-Lark!!! (rhyme maker & quest for amusement..)
Not much going back….
Not much mention of Zio-Israel*s delivery of 4 nuke warheads to Pretoria, South Africa for their closely developed missile system – post 1990 those cuties were taken back by CIA, USA.
Not much mention of the 99 ./. of the European press-stitutes with our vassal regimes who dare not print the word *ERETZ-Israel* – (French *Canard Enchaine* is perhaps the exception.)
Not much going back as BBC is probably owned and vetted by ¨soon-to-be-knighted Sir¨ Rupert Murdoch – BBZ & Pox TV – what a combo!!
Many, many thanks Dr Marandi for your lucidity, patience and tinges of humour when dealing with Anglo-idiots.
So….USA “negotiating ” skills and tactics for JCPOA are exactly the same as for the red lines meetings.
Great article….appreciate the posting.
Superb! Dr.Marandi has destroyed the BBC interviewer. This is a perfect example of what Russia, China and Iran are up against in negotiations with their western “partners”. In a word – impossible!
As usual, Professor Marandi, armed with the facts was able to represent Iran’s position well.
Selah
Imposing first literally deadly sanctions on Iran’s people and then ask them why they react and defend their selves. This is hubris. Those choleric western journalists are disgusting
This BBC parrot is nothing but arrogance and disrespect.
He acts like all those little pipsqueaks on talk shows all over the global West who cut off their “guests” as soon as their answers don’t fit their narratives.
It’s just disgusting and makes me want to vomit.
I hope, with impatience, that this predatory West will soon die in its vain dreams of world domination!
One of the major impediments to a deal on the JCPOA is the US/Israel insistence on Irans precision missile programme being curtailed, in fact I would go so far as to say it is not about the nuclear programme at all the policing of which was well taken care of.
Now the Iranians are quite legally manufacturing precision missiles in underground facilities and are stationing them in silos throughout their vast deserts and the coasts of the Strait of Hormus facing those glass cities and oil infrastructure vital to the world economy, also importantly facing all the US bases which are just minutes flying time of Iranian and Hesballah ballistic missiles [think Al Asad air base] when I mention Hezbollah they, as an integral member of the ‘Arc of resistance’ must have their missile arsenal [approx 130,000] included in any assessments of Iranian capabilities.
Jerusalem needs help from Washington to prevail in a terrible conflict’ https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/10/15/israel-idf-iran-nuclear-arms-weapons/
This article included another link to Dr Uzi Rubin who set out the tumbling costs of the Iran/Hezbollah precision missile programme and how the smart phone has revolutionized the system, these systems used to cost many thousands, now he talks in terms of tens of dollars. Rubin talked about Greece as an example of a small state and how 225 precision weapons could make Greece unviable by hitting power stations, docks and water supplies etc. Left unsaid was the tiny state of Israel which would be even more vulnerable, he spoke about if Hezbollah had only 1000 precision missiles and with Iron done shooting down 90%, that 10% that got through would still do the job. Of course Theodore A Postal a physicist is professor emeritus of science, technology, and national security policy at MIT, estimated that the Iron Dome is not working, and that its success rate was only about 5%. https://thebulletin.org/2014/07/the-evidence-that-shows-iron-dome-is-not-working/ and that against Hamas bottle rockets.
The main deficit of any Israeli defence against precision missiles is sheer numbers which can saturate a target, of course there is the cost of Iron dome at 100,000 dollars per defensive missile. The Israelis have faith in more F35’s [cost 100 million dollars each paid for by the US] assuming Hezbollas’s missiles cost a fraction of the Israeli ones per copy and consist of an aluminium tube filled with fuel, a warhead, winglets and a smart phone, then Hezbollah would have 1000 missiles [well hidden] for the cost of one F35 not well hidden and based at Nevatim Air base. The Foreign policy link and the Uzi Rubin link within it are highly recommended. In my opinion the bottom line to the US is, do not attack Iran or the arc of resistance or you will lose everything.
In essence the Russian ultimatum demands that America close all the post 1997 military bases in Eastern Europe and take all the nukes they have stationed around the world, including Japan and go home.
Not in 5 years or 1 year but now, of course America will agree to no such thing.
The Russians have threatened a “technical and military response” if America does not agree.
I think Russia, China and Iran are going to take down America and the Collective West this year.
Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups have no protection against new style hypersonic missiles.
If you can not protect an Aircraft Carrier then you can protect nothing.
If you can protect nothing, then you are defenseless.
Take out a Carrier or two and the dollar, stock market, MIC and Empire will go down with them.
Americas owners are not going to commit suicide by using nukes.
The Iranian people will have played a huge part in bringing this about.
They deserve the gratitude of us all.
archion “Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups have no protection against new style hypersonic missiles”.
That is correct, this article by Gary Brecher is over 10 years old but it is still very relevant regarding Chinese missile technology it is a must read and also extremely funny.
“You know that Garmin satnav you use to find the nearest Thai place when the in-laws are visiting? If you were the Navy brass, that should have scared you to death. The Mac on your kid’s bedroom desk should have scared you. Every time electronics got smaller, cheaper and more efficient, the carrier became more of a death trap. Every time stealth tech jumped another step, the carrier was more obviously a bad idea. Smaller, cooler-running engines: another bad sign for the carrier. Every single change in technology in the past half a century has had “Stop building carriers!” written all over it. And nobody in the navy brass paid any attention.
Remember that one sentence, get it branded onto your arm: “Ships currently have no defense against a ballistic missile attack.” What does that tell you about the distinguished gentlemen with all the ribbons on their chest who’ve been standing up on carrier bridges looking like they know what they’re doing for the past 50 years? They’re either stupid or so sleazy they’re willing to make a career commanding ships they know, goddamn well know, are floating coffins for thousands of ranks and dozens of the most expensive gold plated airplanes in the history of the world. You call that patriotic? I’d hang them all”. http://exiledonline.com/the-war-nerd-this-is-how-the-carriers-will-die/all/1/
Harry Law, good post. One small correction, the new hypersonic missiles are not ballistic. They do not follow a parabolic curve like ballistic missiles.
They can be tracked by satellite and radar, but they follow a random path to target at between mach 5 and mach 25, depending on the type.
Knowing where the missile is now does not predict where it will be, or even where it is going.
Under those circumstances they are impossible to hit.
BBC is nothing but a racist, bigoted and colonialist propaganda whorehouse.
The BBC man is a typical British “drama queen”: “This Speaks the British Empire!”
Very amusing.
I totally agree and I’m English. I had no choice in the matter.
Please do not reveal my full name. My nickname is NellyDean
Professor Marandi! Zindabad!!
I have never ever written a comment on the internet but this time I just can’t resist.
I have read about you, Professor Marandi, but I heard you speaking for the first time and I am filled with astonishment by your superb eloquence, coupled with your formidable courage and exemplary patience. You inspired respect and came through as powerful by virtue of speaking the truth and because of the intensity of your convictions and courage.
That stiff-necked British BBC host who was willfully dense and empty-headed probably thinks he is “exceptional”!
Well said!
I have so much respect for Dr. Marandi. What an outstanding representative for Iran and humanity in general. The arrogance of the USA and westerners in general is an abomination to this world. The sooner the USD loses world reserve currency status the better off we will all be.
Quote:
Yes but please please if you would just address my specific point: Are you prepared to accept that if a deal is signed, if you and the Americans can find common ground, you will have to live with the fact that it can’t be defined as a forever treaty, that it’s going to be a deal which exists as long as the will is there in the American system to keep to the deal. You can’t have a guarantee the American system will not deliver.
End quote.
How does a sane person deal with an argument like that?
I’ll give this Hard Talk host credit for even just having Dr. Marandi on air and letting him, for the most part, finish his sentences. In our current censorious climate, that’s no small thing. I wonder, though, if he’s smart enough to realize that he has just publicly sabotaged the whole “rules based order.”
Well done, Stephen. Well done!
Yes!
Both points are truly remarkable.
An explicit admission that The Empire of Chaos is Agreement Incapable, wow, this alone is worth gold.
And then letting Mr Marandi go on and finish his thoughts.
Thanks, Stephen!!
The Englishman made a good point – if the US reserves the right to rip up any agreement whenever it wants, or whenever the other half of the duopoly takes its turn at power, why even bother? I suppose diplomatic niceties must be followed for decorum’s sake – but it’s all theater.
@ Nachtigall on January 22, 2022
“…Dr. Marandi has almost superhuman patience and dignity. He is also very eloquent and presents a bulletproof argument.
Words can’t describe how disgusting this bbc interviewer really is. POS. His damn demeanor and pretentiousness is infuriating…”
————————
POS.
Best description cannot be found for that British Bullshit & Crap nauseating entity, typical Eurostan arrogant, verbal diarrhea.
Deconstructing his introduction to the interview with Dr. Marandi, we can see this POS Sackur is just another useful idiot, a pawn in the reproduction of the imperialistic narrative.
As RR posted below,
“…This is a perfect example of what Russia, China and Iran are up against in negotiations with their western “partners”. In a word – impossible!”
Exactly.
HARDtalk Intro
“Time is running out for negotiators trying to break the impasse between the US and Iran, and revive the deal curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions…”
“…Curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions…” Iran has a Fatwa issued by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the mid 1990s “…against the acquisition, development and use of nuclear weapons[1]…” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Khamenei%27s_fatwa_against_nuclear_weapons).
Iran has forever denied their goal is to build nuclear weapons. Regardless, the US presstitutes continue relentlessly pushing the “Iran’s nuclear ambitions” line, similar to their pushing another line, “the Russians are coooooommmminnnggg” invasion of Banderastan, even when the Russians have been non-stop repeating it is not their intention to invade a failed state.
——–
“…Iran is still enriching uranium; the Biden administration is talking of giving up on the current diplomatic track…”
“…Iran is still enriching uranium…” So what? “Still” meaning, they are not supposed to be doing that? Iran has the right to do so. Iran did not leave the JCPOA, the US is in violation of a treaty they first abandoned and are now negotiating to go back with new demands, with Eurostan support, which Iran is naturally rejecting. As Dr. Marandi told the sucker, I mean, Sackur, “the West wants to have his cake and eat it.” And then he drops the threat, Biden is talking about giving up the “diplomatic track.” The proverbial carrot-with-a-stick US diplomacy, which they are also using with the Russians, “if you invade 404, we will hit you hard with sanctions from hell, blah, blah, blah…” The US/ West consider engaging in diplomacy with “weaker” countries a “concession” given from the throne of “exceptionalism,” like crumbs thrown down to those in need of charity from the “shining City on the hill.”
——–
“…My guest is an advisor to Iran’s negotiators in Vienna, Muhammad Morandi. If a nuclear deal cannot be done, how real is the danger of a catastrophic war in the Middle East.”
And finally, Oh the horror, a “catastrophic war in the ME.” How many “catastrophic wars” has the ME suffered, and last time I checked, it is still there? What can they threaten Iran with, if Dr. Marandi himself is a survivor of the CW provided by the West to Saddam Hussein, which he unleashed on Iran during the Iran-Iraq war? That war was for Iran what the Great Patriotic War was for the USSR, an existential war which continues to define Iran’s relations with the US/Eurostan: Do Not Trust Them Ever Again. It is not coincidence both Russia and Iran are requesting written guarantees from the US/Eurostan, whose word is not worth a spit from a drunker.
Sackur’s allegation the US cannot provide the guarantees Iran is demanding because of the US presidential system, is a lie, and Dr. Marandi did not know how to circumvent Sucker’s attempt to concoct another exception. The US has a Congress that can turn any political decision by any president into law. Shamelessly, he brought the human rights issue to the fore, which Dr. Marandi effectively crushed.
In summary, same trash, different day. Dr. Marandi did a superb job defending Iran’s position with dignity and undeniable technical and historical facts, facing a parrot hosting him to show how intractable Iran is before the “benevolence” of the US/West.
Utterly disgusting.
Lone Wolf
Amazing and revealing interview, well spoken Mr. Marandi! A must listen.
Stephen Sackur is a typical doltish British commentator.
He strays from his original arguments on the JCPOA and for the US abrogation of it and the imposition of sanctions, bringing in nuclear enrichment (perfectly legal under current IAEA rules) , human rights
Marandi – “Please let’s not talk about human rights…when your government are imposing maximum pressure on ordinary people, killing people – Libya, Venezuela, Cuba, Iraq, Syria, Iran….Trump explicit about forcing Iran to change JCPOA…sanctions were to get concessions from Iran. Both back to 2015 or none to 2015.”
Marandi – “Western countries are not the international community. That era has finished.”
Sackur – “You think you can survive without the dollar economy?” I found this statement, short as it is, to be very revealing – it’s about the US$ and supporting it through military/financialized means.
Fabulous end statement:
Marandi – “What is not justified is Americans strangling ordinary people. That is sickening and ugly. And the Iranians will look everywhere for cooperation…the Iranians will improve their relations with the global south, they’ll improve their relations with neighbouring countries, and they’ll improve their relationship with countries that don’t want ordinary Iranians to suffer. If you don’t want Iranians to improve relations with… Chinese…Russians…then start behaving normally….stop calling your country the international community and expecting Iran to abide by its commitments whereas your countries do not have to abide by theirs. The greatest human rights violation is making people suffer and that is what western governments do.” WOW.
Proof is in the pudding; you can talk until you’re blue in the face, provide clear cut examples/facts and evidence to back up your position, but still never break through their thick walls of lies & deceit.
20 US/EU Stooges will face scripted/rehearsed questions from western MSM, and each will parrot one another. The very second a question arises slightly off script, you can feel their pain between the ears, alarm bells going off. I don’t know why European & US countries don’t just use A1 robots dressed in Armani suits to field questions.
You don’t have to be a Psychologist, Psychiatrist or Linguist to comprehend that when the Truth comes from your lips, you’re not trying to pull the wool over your audiences eyes, there’s a natural flow, a harmony in your delivery. You don’t squirm like Blinken, Psaki, Stoltenberg, hesitating, stuttering for the correct words. My kid does that when she requires more time to think of a lie. I tell her, that lie was so poor it’s an insult to my intelligence, so take all the time you need to think of a much better one. By stark contrast, Putin, Lavrov, Marandi, look comfortable, even fielding off the cuff questions from any party, hostile or friendly, and will respond succinctly to point. Is it that they’re just super smart? Hell yeah, however, much more important is that they’re responding with the indelible truth.
There’s a lady who appears on RT once every while, Annie ???? , former MI5 or 6, think the latter, who stated that when she’s invited on MSM Europe, not only the Questions, but the intended Responses are scrutinised prior to broadcast. She contrasted this to her RT appearances and stated that she just turns up for the interview, with only the topic known to her.
The Russians are direct, while the US & Poodles (with fleas ) obfuscate the hell out of everything when a yes or no will suffice in order to give themselves wiggle room and claim misunderstanding. I think Mr Martyanov stated that he finds it difficult to watch these discussions between Russia & US, a waste of his time.
The Americans are hapless creatures sent out to negotiate their own demise, to lift their only joker cards, deployment of weapon systems in Eastern Europe , USS Sanctions – as temporarily useful as they may be , running out of ammunition, firing blanks, losing their status as the strongest military power to the consternation of those pitiful minor countries still intent on hanging onto their coattails , consumed in a toxic sea of debt , crumbling infrastructure, an opioid crisis, and on the verge of civil disobedience and societal fracture.
What’s not to like, love?
Annie Machon
ity Service, who resigned in the late 1990s to blow the whistle on the spies’ incompetence and crimes with her ex-partner, David Shayler.
By doing this, they had to give up their careers, go on the run across Europe, live in hiding for a year, and then spend the next two years in exile in Paris. They, and many of their friends, family, supporters and journalists, claim to have been intimidated, and some of them were arrested and put on trial. A death threat was announced against her on a Middle Eastern radio station.
etc
she is on twitter
@A death threat was announced against her on a Middle Eastern radio station.
That’s a rather large list, if you’re in the know.
Stephen Sackur has always been a Neoliberal, pro-western propagandist in his interviews, but he went over the top in being a utter tool in this interview. Back in the day (like 60 yrs ago) the BBC could have at least gotten someone with an iota of intelligence to do this interview. However, the needs of a propaganda service are far different from a journalistic service, so you now have a lunk headed tool who repeats the party line to what they conceive as the unthinking masses, rather than an inquisitive and insightful mind that seeks truth to inform the viewer. I shutter to think of what a “distinguished” journalist will be like in another 10 years.
Wow, the interview is one sick puppy!
Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi have superhuman patience.
The corrupt, arrogant, inhuman, delusional, hypocritical, decaying, warmongering West is like a lunatic busily sawing through the branch of a tree on which it is sitting. Its hubris and mendacity know no bounds.
Its multi faceted murderous aggression has cut itself off from the most important countries on the planet. Like a demented, terminally wounded beast, it even turns upon itself, devouring its own tail. The most obsequious satellites of the US – Germany, Japan, France, South Korea, Canada, have themselves been subjected to US sanctions.
China – 1.4 billion people, world’s greatest manufacturing and trading nation, 2nd or first economy by size depending on the criteria adopted. Russia – world’s largest country, 6.5 million square miles, one of the greatest producers of energy, strategic materials, and food. Venezuela, Iran – the most important energy suppliers. All these countries have been alienated irreparably through decades of demonisation, vilification, lies, propaganda, economic terrorism and actual terror. There are many other less powerful nations in the same boat – Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, world’s largest source of lithium, Sudan, North Korea, many others. The US and its poodles are shooting themselves in the foot at every opportunity.
America is an unholy dominion in the earth….
“The evil in Washington is so great it has to be isolated” Dr. Paul Craig Roberts
“Washington is the center of evil in the world” Dr. Paul Craig Roberts
“The system of racism and Global white supremacy must be dismantled and replace with a system of TRUTH and JUSTICE” Dr. Frances Cress Welsing
A succinct perfect summary.
comments like yours are ideal ‘soundbites’ for challenging false narratives in the MSM….
British politicians are also on an amazing ‘self-destruct’ path. Brexit is creating even more alienation from Continental Europe and exactly at the moment when Britain should be seeking to negotiate with other potential trade partners,…they antagonize them instead…
Must be something they drink when they are at the Bilderberg/Davos meetings…
What I can’t actually understand is why Iran cannot prevent the ‘sanctions’ from ‘killing people’. Iran has been fighting the West for 40 years. That is enough time for a society as advanced as Iran’s to make itself immune to ‘sanctions’. Grow your own food, synthesize your own medicines. It doesn’t matter if they are not as good as the West’s (Western medicine is s**t anyway.) If you don’t have some resources or can’t make everything, trade with Russia, China, India. I realize that the Western stranglehold on the World financial system made that difficult, but get it done anyway. The big deal with China is a great example. Maybe what Marandi should have done (although he can’t speak for the government) is say ‘you are right, Stephen, it is hopeless to deal with the West’. I thought it was incredible that ‘Stephen’ said ‘why make a deal with the Americans when you know you can’t trust them’ … well, yes.
So interesting that the interviewer did not mention Iran’s missiles, which are the main target of US and Israel. It is not the nuclear enrichment that bothers US and Israel, but the ability of Iran not only do defend itself, but to launch deadly accurate attacks around them if necessary.
The fear of missil
https://warontherocks.com/2022/01/turn-on-the-light-extinguish-the-fire-israels-new-way-of-war/e is evident in this article:
I have just watched one of the most disgusting BBC “interviews” I have ever heard! I can only agree with the comments already posted. Prof.Marandi is so capable, so cool, so polite, so truthful (as he always is as in the interview recently with Aaron Maté who of course was not at all rude or offensive!) and patient, even when the BBC guy kept interrupting with irrelevant details. Prof. Marandi shows the vast difference between Iran and the “Western democracies” in understanding and behaviour, and it is interesting that at this moment the Iranian leader is in Moscow having serious, courteous, genuine, peaceful talks and negotiations with President Putin.
Boy, Marandi won this contest by leaps and bounds. The BBC simply had no chance to bring home even a single point.
This sums it all up beautifully: “Western Countries are not the ‘International Community’. That era has finished!”
Couldn´t have said it better….
Outstanding interview. The Iranian professor speaks perfect English with barely any accent. This helps his messaging with western viewers. To those who may not know, BBC is nested with MI6 assets – likely including the interviewer.
I can tell you that this type of interview would never be allowed to appear on US media. Pro-Iran experts are defacto barred from US media. Sad.