by Stephen Lendman

Escalating anti-Iranian tensions continues. More on what's ongoing below.

February 10 marks Iran's 1979 revolution's 34th anniversary. On January 31, 10 days of commemorative activities began.

Imam Khomeini was exiled for 15 years in Paris. On February 1, 1979, he returned to Tehran. Doing so marked the beginning of Ten Days of Dawn.

On February 10, they culminated successfully. A generation of repressive Reza Shah Pahlavi rule ended. He was Washington's man in Tehran.

He remained so until a White House task force recommended replacing him with Ayatollah Khomeini.

It was part of a larger scheme. It involved balkanizing the region along tribal and religious lines. It sought to create an arc of crisis through Central Asia to Soviet Russia.

In 1978, it became urgent. The Shah was negotiating a 25-year oil deal with British Petroleum (BP). Talks broke down. BP demanded exclusive rights to future output. Company officials refused to guarantee oil purchases.

The Shah sought new European buyers. He sought others elsewhere. He hoped to create a modern energy infrastructure. He wanted it built around nuclear power. He wanted Iranian and regional power needs transformed.

He wanted Iran's dependence on oil reduced. He wanted Washington's pressure to recycle petrodollars weakened. He sought increased foreign investments.

Washington was alarmed. It tried blocking his plan. It failed. Disruptive tactics followed. Iranian oil purchases were cut. Other economic pressures followed.

Disruptive instability was stoked. Measures included strikes, religious rivalries, and efforts to incite anti-Shah sentiment.

Media scoundrels regurgitated US propaganda. Khomeini leadership was promoted. In January 1979, things came to a head. The Shah fled. Khomeini returned. He proclaimed an Islamic Republic. He got overwhelming public support.

He cancelled Iran's nuclear plans. Washington officials thought they could control him. They miscalculated. Iranian sovereignty was restored.

Tensions escalated. Decades later they're boiling. For years, Iran's been targeted for regime change. Washington wants puppet leadership replacing its independent government.

It wants control of Iranian oil and gas. It wants unchallenged regional dominance. It wants China, Russia, and other regional rivals shut out.

Israel and Washington are rogue partners. They share likeminded ambitions. They're longstanding. Media scoundrels support them. They're relentless. They’re lawless. They spurn rule of law principles.

Iran's peaceful nuclear program is red herring cover for regime change.

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) is a right wing pro-Israeli front group. It wants Iran's government deposed.

Michael Singh is managing director. From 2005 - 2008, he was Bush administration National Security Council Middle East affairs senior director.

On February 5, The New York Times gave him featured op-ed space. He took full advantage. He headlined, "Don't Let Iran Stall for Time.”

He claimed Vice President Joe Biden wants direct talks with Iran. In early February's 49th Munich Security Conference, he left no doubt where Washington stands.

He represented America's imperium. He prioritized key strategic interests. He signaled permanent war on humanity. His thinly veiled anti-Russian/Chinese threats weren't unnoticed.

He called Iran's nuclear program a "threat to the national security of the United States." He said Washington "will stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon."

He demanded Tehran prove a negative. He wants proof positive it no nuclear ambitions. No evidence suggests it. US intelligence says so annually. Washington and Israeli officials know it. They target Iran anyway.

Iran "evade(s) negotiations," said Singh. "(T)he real question is not whether America should talk to Iran, but how to get the Iranians to talk to us in earnest."

Tehran participated in multiple P5-1 talks in good faith. Washington obstructed them. So did Israel behind the scenes. Resolving the issue equitably is impossible. Iran has no legitimate negotiating partner.

Singh claims otherwise. Engaging Iran diplomatically isn't new, he said. Every US president since Carter tried, he claimed.

Every president vilified Iran. They obstructed good relations. Regime change is longstanding US policy.

According to Singh, failure has "a common thread: Iran shrank from any broad bilateral thaw because it feared engagement with the United States more than it feared confrontation."

Singh claims "resistance" was a "founding principle of Iran's Islamic regime."

Saying so turns truth on its head. For decades, Iran sought normalized Western relations. Rebuff and betrayal followed. Lawless sanctions are imposed.

Saber rattling threatens war. Bellicose red lines, deadlines, timelines, subversion, targeted assassinations, other disruptive actions follow. Media scoundrel vilification and fearmongering regurgitate official lies.

Iran's got just cause for concern. Singh advocates increased US pressure. He urges support from key allies. He wants no letup in Washington's demands.

He wants "military action" if other ways fail. He wants Iran prevented from "stall(ing) for time." Failure to resolve things Washington's way assures "another way station on the route to war," he says.

He's actively promoting it. The Times and other US scoundrel media barely stop short. On February 6, The Times headlined "US Increases Pressure of Economic War on Tehran."

Doing so won't defuse crisis conditions. Washington's nuclear deal has been on the table for months. It was proposed to be rejected.

It demands Iran cease doing what's entirely legal. NPT provisions aren't compromised. Claiming otherwise is false. Insisting it relinquish rights afforded dozens of other nuclear powered nations oversteps.

Washington insists anyway. So does Israel. Key Western countries go along. Doing so subverts their own interests. Iran has every right to reject illegitimate demands. Doing less would be irresponsible.

The Times report blamed Tehran for hostile US/Israeli policies. It turned truth on its head. It's standard Times practice. Managed news misinformation is policy. So is supporting wrong over right.

Netanyahu is Israel's worst ever prime minister. He's unfit to serve. He's an embarrassment to democratic governance. He spurns peace. He's bellicose on Iran. He threatens war. So do likeminded Israeli and Washington hardliners.

Irresponsible lies proliferate. Former Israeli Military Intelligence chief, Major General (res.) Amos Yadlin, says Iran is close to crossing Netanyahu's "red line."

"Today (Iran's) capability is between four to six months" to build a nuclear bomb, he claims. It "completed all of the necessary components" to do so, he added.

Former pro-Western IAEA deputy director-general for safeguards, Olli Heinonen, said Iran began buying special centrifuge manufacturing materials years ago.

Doing so is entirely legal. Other countries do the same thing. Iran alone is criticized. Heinonen targets Tehran. He supports sanctions. He calls IAEA negotiations at "stalemate." Saying so is false.

No country cooperates more with inspectors than Iran. Washington and Israel tolerate none. IAEA complaints don't follow.

On February 5, the White House said Obama plans to visit Israel end of March. On January 28, he and Netanyahu spoke. They discussed his visit.

He's waiting until Israel's next government is formed. He assumes it'll be by mid-March. National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said:

"The start of the president's second term and the formation of a new Israeli government offer the opportunity to reaffirm the deep and enduring bonds between the United States and Israel and to discuss the way forward on a broad range of issues of mutual concern, including Iran and Syria."

Additional trip details will come later.

A senior Israeli official said "there's no clear American plan to resume the peace process or diplomatic initiative that the president intends to launch during his visit."

Israeli US ambassador Michael Oren added:

Obama's visit is meant "to send a clear message to the entire region about the strength of the US-Israeli relationship and the intent to strengthen this historic alliance still further at this challenging moment in the Middle East."

Obama didn't visit Israel in term one. Discussions will focus on advancing America's imperium. Increasing its global footprint is prioritized.

Syria and Iran top Obama's agenda. War strategy will be discussed. They rage without end. Obama more in mind. He's got four more years to wage them.

He'll take full advantage. Israel partners willingly. They prioritize state terrorism. They proliferate regional violence. Doing so menaces humanity. The worst of times loom.

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

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

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http://www.dailycensored.com/washington-and-israel-target-iran/