New York Times on conditions of talks with Iran

10.

April 14, 2009 9:23 am

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Iran has clear and well defined strategic aims. It wants to become the dominant power in the Arab Middle East and to control the oil market of that region. To achieve this it wants to change the regime of "moderate" pro-Western countries: Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and other countries on the peninsula. The anti-Israeli rhetoric is one of the weapons in this struggle, it makes excellent public relations in the Arab world, so is supporting Hamas and Hezballa, which can also be used for terror in Egypt and other places. The proposed boy scout approach of being "nice" to Iran is of little value to it. United States cannot agree to Iran's strategy, abandon its Arab friends and agree to Iranians dominion of the oil market. To some degree it can press Israel, but Israel is not the main objective of Iran, and except for public relations it has no value to it. Before declaring the terms and conditions of talks, the President should define their objectives in concrete terms. He should read carefully the intelligence reports rather than peruse articles of journalists. When he knows what Iran wants, he will be able to decide what he can give, if anything, and what the US will demand in return. Nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction are only means in Iran's strategy.

— Aharon Meytahl, Vestal, New York