Iran deal continues to dominate news coverage

By: Khaled AL-Gafri on July 16, 2015 / comment : 2

Iran deal continues to dominate news coverage

The Common Ills

All Iraq News reports that Saad al-Hadithi, spokesperson for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, declared that the Iran deal negotiated by the "world powers" in Vienna is "a catalyst for regional stability." How much of that statement is reality and how much of it owes to yet another Iraqi Shi'ite prime minister with ties to Iran is unknown. Middle East Online quotes al-Abadi himself stating, "The Iran deal expresses a common will to bring peace and security to our region."

Ethan Chorin (Forbes) offers:

The Iran nuclear deal announced July 14 is, so far, a sketch of thoughts and clauses, perfectly amenable to different reads. Champions say it’s brilliant, or the best deal that could be had, or better than no deal. Naysayers say it’s a catastrophe. The New York Times described the deal as a ‘bet’ whose direction and payout would take years to confirm. Bunkered-up Syrian leader Hafez al Assad congratulated the signatories; and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned it as a major piece in Iran’s quest for world domination.

Juan Cole bends reality (as usual) to arrive at the conclusion that this deal resulted from the battle against the Islamic State. Neither he nor Truthdig appear to remember that for the US warplanes bombing Iraq, Iranian advisors had to leave the effort first and that this motivated some Shi'ite militia groups to leave as well.

But at this late date, who expects the truth from Juan Cole?

While Truthdig veers to the crazy, CBS News notes:

While many believe a more transparent Iran will reduce tensions in the Middle East, CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata says some of the nations within reaching distance of the Islamic Republic don't buy that the nuclear deal reached Tuesday will stop Iran from building an atomic bomb, and they worry and the country's massive financial windfall could tip a delicate power balance.

At a time when the battle against the Islamic State is said (by the White House, by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, by outgoing Chair of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey) to depend upon the support of regional allies, the wisdom of pursuing a treaty that raises so much concern among Arab states is a topic that goes unexplored.

While US Vice Preisdnet Joe Biden was pressing the US Congress about the deal on Tuesday, Barack was making a few calls in an attempt to reassure Middle East leaders. Ammon News notes: