by Stephen Lendman

Netanyahu and other Israeli officials suppress information on its longstanding nuclear weapons program - an arsenal with thermonuclear ones and long-range delivery capability able to incinerate entire cities.

On Sunday, Netanyahu railed against Iran's known peaceful nuclear program as a March 31 deadline approaches to reach a preliminary framework deal ahead of a June 30 final one.

The whole world knows Iran's program is peaceful. It conforms to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) provisions.

It has no military component. US and Israeli intelligence assessments say so. No evidence suggests otherwise.

For years, Netanyahu lied about Iran's program. Israel continues what he calls an "uphill battle" against it.

He absurdly called what's emerging, if agreed on, worse than he thought.

"This deal, as it appears to be emerging, bears out all of our fears, and even more than that," he said.

It's hard imagining anyone taking him seriously. He lost credibility long ago.

He's a world-class thug, a war criminal multiple times over, a serial liar and threat to regional peace.

"After the Beirut-Damascus-Baghdad axis, Iran is maneuvering from the south to take over the entire Middle East," he blustered.

"The Iran-Lausanne-Yemen axis is dangerous for mankind and must be stopped," he added.

He pressured Republican US Senate leaders to intervene. He lied about agreement terms endangering Israel.

On Sunday, he turned truth on its head saying "(w)hile (P5+1 countries) convene to sign this deal, Iran’s proxies in Yemen are conquering large swaths of land in an effort to overtake the Bab al-Mandab straits, so that they can change the balance of power in shipping oil."

Discussions continue in Lausanne. On Sunday,AP said Iran agreed to limit its centrifuges enriching uranium to 6,000 - maybe fewer numbers.

It's willing to ship its enriched uranium to Russia, AP reported.

Unresolved issues remain on permitted Iranian nuclear R&D, duration of an agreement, monitoring and removing sanctions.

An unnamed official close to talks said Russia remains opposed to Washington's demand to be able to quickly reimpose any lifted sanctions if it claims Tehran reneged on any commitments.

Moscow fears establishing an unacceptable precedent. With discussions reaching a critical point, talks continue "in various formats," said AP.

On Sunday, P5+1 foreign ministers will get directly involved in trying to consummate a framework deal.

Israel keeps going all-out to sabotage it. Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz spearheads pressuring P5+1 countries against it.

"We may still have a chance," he said. "We are not alone. There are still great doubts in the United States as well as in France, even in England," he claimed.

Interior Minister Gilad Erdan said "(i)t's true that a deal is close, and there is a chance that an agreement on basic principles will be reached in the coming days."

"But until the final agreement, which is supposed to be signed with Iran by the end of June, there are still a wide range of diplomatic options."

"If, God forbid, it happens, Israel will also be required to reassess the whole resulting security situation."

His comment borders on threatening war with Iran.

Around midday Lausanne time, AFP reported Iran and P5+1 countries "reached a provisional agreement on key parts of a deal sharply curtailing Tehran's nuclear programme, Western diplomats in talks in Switzerland said Sunday."

An unnamed diplomat close to talks said Tehran "more or less" agreed to limit the number of its centrifuges by "more than two-thirds."

It'll ship most of its enriched uranium "abroad" - apparently to Russia.

Iranian diplomats denied reaching a tentative agreement. They called reports "journalistic speculation."

An unnamed senior Iranian negotiator said "publication of such information by certain Western media is aimed at creating an atmosphere to disturb the negotiating process."

With P5+1 country Foreign Ministers involved, expect talks to continue on remaining sticking points.

Congress may be the main one. It's ready to legislatively challenge any deal struck.

A bipartisan group of 367 House members sent Obama a letter stipulating their demands - in defiance of taking a step toward ending 36 years of imperial arrogance toward Iran.

Every House and Senate member knows Iran's nuclear program is peaceful and intends staying this way.

Tehran threatens no one. It hasn't attacked another country in centuries. It values cooperative relations with all nations.

The power of Israel and its Lobby keep going all-out to sabotage any prospective deal.

House members said any agreement "must constrain Iran’s nuclear infrastructure so that Iran has no pathway to a bomb, and that agreement must be long-lasting."

"(I)t will be impossible for the international community to judge Iran’s future breakout time with certainty."

They lied knowing Iran has no intention to develop nuclear weapons.

No evidence suggests otherwise. Plenty confirms Israel is nuclear armed and dangerous - thanks to considerable US help aiding its program since the 1950s.

House members lied claiming "Iran's record of clandestine activity and intransigence prevents any trust in Iran."

"(S)hould an agreement with Iran be reached, permanent sanctions relief from congressionally-mandated sanctions would require new legislation."

"In reviewing such an agreement, Congress must be convinced that its terms foreclose any pathway to a bomb, and only then will Congress be able to consider permanent sanctions relief."

AIPAC owns Congress on matters relating to Israel and US Middle East foreign policy.

Expect Israeli orchestrated heavy-handed pressure against consummating any final deal if a framework one is reached.

It's unclear if Obama wants one short of unconditional Iranian surrender to US demands.

Longstanding US policy calls for regime change - replacing Iranian independence with US controlled stooge governance.

Nuclear talks are red herring cover for Washington's real objective. Whatever comes out of current talks, expect US/Iranian relations to remain largely unchanged.

Expect Iran bashing to continue - maybe war if Washington hardliners get their way.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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