An American political commentator and activist says the United States is not seeking a fair deal with Iran over its civilian nuclear program, but it wants unconditional Iranian surrender, because it does not tolerate independent governments.

Stephen Lendman, a writer, syndicated columnist, peace activist and radio show host in Chicago, made the remarks in a phone interview with Press TV on Sunday while commenting on the nuclear negotiations underway between Iran and the P5+1 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Iran and the P5+1 –  the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany – are engaged in intense negotiations to reach a comprehensive deal on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program as a self-imposed end-March deadline for reaching a mutual understanding over the outstanding issues approaches. The two sides have set July 1 as the deadline for a final agreement.



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550"] (From L) John Kerry, Ernest Moniz, Robert Malley, Abbas Araghchi, Ali Akbar Salehi, and Mohammad Javad Zarif wait to start a meeting at a hotel on March 29, 2015 in Lausanne.[/caption]

Lendman said any deal between the United States and Iran over its civilian nuclear program may amounts to nothing if Washington does not change its continued hostility towards Tehran.

“If a deal is reached by the end of March or in the days following the end of March, [that] to me is not [the] real issue.  The real issue is the [USA's] long-standing hostility towards Iran, 36 years and counting,” he said.

“I wonder whether [US President Barack] Obama really wants a deal. What he really may want is unconditional Iranian surrender to US demands, because America tolerates no independent governments,” he said.

“America’s real goal is not Iran’s nuclear program, that’s a red herring, a cover, as I like to say; for America’s real objective is to change this government - to install a pro-Western government, to exploit Iranian resources, control them – Iranian oil of course and gas - [and] to exploit the Iranian people,” he noted.

“So if any deal is reached… it may amount to nothing in the long run if America’s hostility towards Iran continues. And I see no evidence either from Congress or from the White House to indicate [an approach] different from that,” Lendman stated.

“If that changes, then everything could change totally in US relationships towards Iran. But so far nothing has changed. The rhetoric is still hostile.”

He went on to say that “I expect whatever happens post-March 31st, or if we get to the June 30 for final deal, it may mean nothing if the basic relationship between the two countries doesn’t change. Again, I see nothing to indicate that it will.”



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550"] Abbas Araghchi (L), Ali Akbar Salehi (C) and Mohammad Javad Zarif walk together during negotiations at a hotel on March 29, 2015 in Lausanne, Switzerland. (AFP photo)[/caption]

Earlier in his remarks, Lendman said, “the whole world knows that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful. It has no military component. Annually, US intelligence says so. Israel’s Mossad says so. But not according to Benjamin Netanyahu who does not listen to his own intelligence operation that has information he discounts when he wants another argument put forward.”

“Everybody knows Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful. Iran is an NPT signatory. The whole world also knows that Israel is nuclear-armed and dangerous. But nobody says anything about that,” he said.

“Israel has an arsenal of nuclear weapons, that’s what really needs to be addressed, not Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, which is no different than what dozens of other countries have, and use nuclear power to generate commercial energy and to do medical research and so on,” he noted.



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550"] Israel’s nuclear research center in the Negev desert viewed from satellite (Wikipedia)[/caption]

Israel is widely believed to be the sole possessor of a nuclear arsenal in the Middle East with more than 200 undeclared nuclear warheads.

Tel Aviv has rejected global calls to join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and does not allow international inspectors to observe its controversial nuclear program.

However, the United States and Israel accuse Iran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory to the NPT and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.



In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.

Last month, Al Jazeera television network released a secret Mossad cable which revealed that Israel has been aware that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and does not include “the activity necessary to produce weapons.”

The Israeli spy agency’s top-secret cable, leaked on February 23, concluded that Iran was “not performing the activity necessary to produce weapons.”

A similar CIA report, leaked on February 20, disclosed that Washington tried to mislead the IAEA about Iran’s nuclear program through the provision of doctored evidence.

By Press TV