Republicans try to snatch war from the jaws of peace: International lawyer

Republican lawmakers in the US Congress along with Israelis are making “unprecedented interventions” to sabotage a historic understanding reached over Iran’s nuclear energy program on Thursday, international lawyer and political commentator Barry Grossman says. 

A mutual nuclear understanding was reached in Switzerland on Thursday between Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers – the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany.

US President Barack Obama has hailed the "historic understanding" with Iran, but Republicans in Congress have condemned it, with some saying lifting sanctions on Iran would provoke Israel into an armed conflict with the Islamic Republic.

Israeli officials have called it a “historic mistake which will make the world far more dangerous.”

Analyst say rightwing elements in the US government continue to try derailing the prospect of an agreement with Iran, despite the P5 +1 conceding that any genuine concerns have been resolved by the interim understanding made yesterday.

“It is of course not surprising given the unprecedented interventions by Republicans, Israel, and others,” Grossman said in an email interview with Press TV on Friday.

“All indications are that there will be a committed effort by the GOP to oppose the president and indeed, all the P5+1 nations in order to snatch war from the jaws of peace,” he said.

“After all, in a country driven by a war economy, there is no profit in peace and great fortunes to be made by war,” he added.

According to the framework agreement, none of Iran’s nuclear facilities as well as the previous activities will be stopped, shut down or suspended and Iran will continue with its nuclear activities in all its nuclear facilities including Natanz, Fordow, Isfahan and Arak.

Based on the agreement, all international sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic would be lifted in exchange for certain steps Tehran will take to limit its nuclear program.

US House Speaker John Boehner, whose decision to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak about Iran before Congress last month sparked strong criticism from the White House, said on Thursday that “it would be naïve to suggest [Iran] will not continue to use its nuclear program, and any economic relief, to further destabilize the region.”  

Grossman said, “Iran has endured 18 months of tough, often unreasonable negations, and has now conceded… that the P5+1 demanded in order to insure that Iran’s peaceful nuclear program remains just that.” 

“People of conscience around the world owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to the Islamic Republic of Iran for giving peace a chance holding and for staying the course despite the best efforts of those who committed to a war with Iran,” he noted.

AHT/GJH

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