THE IRAN DEAL: Smash it then claim it

There is deep irony in the Trump administration working to secure credit for a nuclear deal with Iran, given it was the previous Trump administration that destroyed a perfectly adequate one — the JCPOA — that had ensured Iran’s uranium enrichment stayed within commercial grade while lifting sanctions.

Now, as Iran appears to be enriching to a higher grade, prompting fears it could make nuclear weapons, the White House is scrambling to secure Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, potentially even offering it to Russia. Iran has always insisted it is not making atomic weapons. Trump’s threats, including warning there “will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before,” have not helped negotiations, currently on-going in Oman. More