On Playgrounds, Oil, and Bombs

Each of us has a desire to create our lives, as we want them to be and to have others see everything as we do. As we mature, we realize this is not how life works. We learn to compromise, discuss, listen, play by the rules, and negotiate. We tend to avoid those who have not reached this level of maturity and we regard them as bullies. I am sure you can remember such a schoolyard bully, perhaps thinking to yourself; someday he will get what is coming to him. Sadly, governments can also become bullies.

In 1933, The Imperial Government of Persia granted at 60-year lease to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), a company now known as British Petroluem, to develop the Persian oil fields in return for a percentage of profits to Persia (Iran). Over time, the Iranians felt they were not receiving all the monies due them and, in 1951, the Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddegh, nationalized the oil industry. The International Court of Justice ruled in 1952 that it had no jurisdiction in the matter, as the agreement was between Iran and a company, not between Iran and the United Kingdom. The governments of Britain (under Churchill) and the United States (under Eisenhower) decided it was in their national best interests to force Iran to honor the 1933 agreement. At first, a boycott of Iranian oil was used to cause econmic unrest; but that failed to produce the desired result. The two superpowers then decided it was time to change Iran’s elected government, with the knowledge and very reluctant support of Shah Mohammad-Reza.

The coup d’etat, known in Iran as the 28 Mordad Coup, was organized using the assets of MI6 (British) and the CIA (US). On August 15, 1953, these plans were set into operation. It appeared at first to be a failure; Mosaddegh appeared to still be in control, and the Shah of Iran, Mohammad-Rezā Shāh Pahlavi left the country. Using paid thugs, on-ground MI6/CIA operatives set a second plan into operation; Mosaddegh was arrested on August 20th; and the Shah returned on August 22nd, accompianed by Alan Dulles, the director of the CIA. Upon returning to the Peacock Throne, the Shah strengthened his regime by placing political opponents under surveillance and repressing dissident movements ruthlessly, with the help of the SAVAK or secret police. (The CIA helped to establish the SAVAK upon the return of the Shah.) In 1955, the CIA assigned Major General Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr. to train the senior SAVAK agents. The Shah remained in power until his overthrow in January 1979 by the Islamic Revolution. During his reign, the Shah did much to improve Iran, most notably by public education (however, this created a great number of educated, unemployed citizens). He championed woman’s suffrage; the enlargement of industry, including technology; a free school nutrition program, and diplomatic and cultural relationships with other nations. During this time, he enjoyed considerable support from the United States, with an emphasis on financial and military aid (which began to decline during his last three years of power). His reign was not entirely benign however; there was dissatisfaction with his “western enlightenment”, particularly from the Islamic fundamentalists. Politically, his greatest error was in the establishment of a one-party policital system, the Rastakhiz Party, the citizens could either be a member of the party, or they could leave the country.

This history explains, perhaps, why the Iranian citizens hold western governments, and particularly the United States, in very low regard. Perhaps, from an Iranian point of view, this explains the “Iranian Hostage Crisis” at the end of President Carter’s term of office. In light of this history, perhaps we can understand (I didn’t say agree with) why the Islamic Revolution in Iran was so widely accepted by the citizens of Iran.

Recent history has shown that the administrations after the fall of the Shah have displayed a decidely anti-western bias. The western governments have become increasingly concerned about Iran’s potential development of a nuclear weapon, and rightfully (perhaps hypocritically) so. As Paul Harvey used to say, “here’s the rest of the story.”

We gave them that technology, that nuclear knowledge. We did it at the highest level of government, and we have been doing it since 1957, under President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” program. In 1967, under President Johnson, we provided Iran with 5.545 kg of enriched uranium and 112 g of plutonium. I mentioned earlier that the Shah had brought advanced tecnology to his country. Try this one on for size: in the 70’s, the Shah proposed 20 nuclear power plants. That’s right, a country with some of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves wanted 20 nuclear plants! An advertisement announcing this ran in US magazines, sponsored by the nuclear industry in the United States. In 1974, Kraftwerk Union (a subsidary of Seimens AG, a German company) began construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. In 1975 MIT (yes, THAT MIT) contracted to train Iran’s nuclear engineers! Did you hear that on the nightly news?

Co-operation with all western governments and companies stopped with the Islamic Revolution in 1979. That did not stop the Iranian nuclear programs however, they just switched vendors, to Russia and China. In 1990, Russia and Iran began discussions for completion of the Bushehr nuclear plant. China, in 1993, provided Iran with a turn-key HT-6B Tokamak fusion reactor, which was installed at the Plasma Physics Research Centre of Azad University. Iran and China informed the IAEA of plans for a nuclear enrichment facility in Iran in 1996, but China withdrew from the project, under U.S. diplomatic pressure. Yes, Virginia, diplomacy does work. Bill Clinton was President.

From 1996 until December of 2002 very little detail has been published about the Iranian nuclear programs. In December of 2002 the United States accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons and Iran, denying the claim, responded by offering "full transparency for security that there are no Iranian endeavors to develop or possess WMD." This offer was made through the Swiss Ambassador to the United States. The United States, under President George W. Bush, refused the offer and criticized the Swiss Ambassador for making the presentation. Iran installed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as President in August 2005 and we are off to the races. Ahmadinejad was a holocaust denier, who stated that Israel had no right to exist, and that he would use whatever means necessary to remove Israel from the face of the earth. Additionally, he proclaimed that Iran had the right to create and use nuclear weapons, because Israel had them. This rhetoric, coupled with a certain degree of paranoia in Washington, precluded any real talks from occurring between the U.S. and Iran until August 2013, when Hassan Rouhani became President of Iran. Almost immediately, the rhetoric cooled and serious negotiations regarding the reduction of nuclear capability and the lifting of sanctions began. These negotiations (drafted by Iran, the United States, Britain, China, Russia, France and Germany) concluded in December 2013, with an agreement that would allow international inspection; Iran would stop enriching urianum beyond the point required for use as fuel in nuclear power plants, and would remove or destroy all uranium enriched beyond that point. In return, limited sanctions would be lifted; some humanitarian aid would be allowed into Iran and certain financial assests currently frozen would be released. Additionally, Iran would be able to sell oil on the world stage again.

In Ronald Reagan’s words, “Trust, but verify.” This is what the agreement from Geneva allows. The sanctions currently imposed upon Iran have been effective in almost collapsing Iran’s economy, and the current Iranian government knows that. Sanctions would be lifted in agreed-upon stages, and only after Iran proves that it is performing as agreed. If the government of Iran does not comply strictly to the terms of the Geneva accord, the sanctions come back full force, and Iran is back to stage one. So where does this leave us?

On January 12, 2014, Iran announced to the world that on January 20, 2014 it would begin reducing its stockpile of super enriched uranium, as the first step in the Geneva agreement. That date, January 20, 2014, begins the 6 month timetable for Iran to complete it’s reduction program and meet all the terms of the agreement. The Geneva agreement also requires that Iran continue to allow IAEA inspectors full access as Iran proceeds with its nuclear power program, with the caveat that further lifting of sanctions is dependant upon strictly following the Geneva agreement, international guidelines and not devloping nuclear weapons.

This sounds like a great win for world acceptance of international establishments like the IAEA and a great win for President Obama’s diplomatic efforts. Some in Congress, on both sides of the isle, greeted this news with an unexpected response: they are pushing for even tougher sanctions against Iran, to show Iran we mean business. Of course they say these new tougher sanctions will not be put in place unless Iran does not comply with the Geneva accords. Others believe this action, at this time, would be detrimental to continued improvement in Iran’s behaviour. President Obama has promised he will veto any new sanction legislation passed by Congress if Iran is in compliance with the Geneva accords.

Perhaps it is time for the United States Congress to stop being the playground bully. Remember, we started this whole mess back in 1953 when we overthrew a democratically elected government. Let us now take the high road, let us allow Iran time to show the world it can and will co-operate on the world stage, that it can follow the Geneva accords, and let us cool off this potential world flash point.

It’s time for the United States to undo some of the damage we did in 1953. It is time to stop being the bully.

Your thoughts and comments are appreciated, and welcome. I enjoy, and look forward to, a good discussion.