McMaster told the Post, “I don’t think they care about it,” referring to Iran’s mentality regarding the current round of nuclear negotiations, saying that decisive powers in the Islamic Republic are focused on the post-election period and even the era “after Khamenei passes away.”
More specifically, the former national security advisor was explaining that Tehran would not make any major moves until the post-election era and that hardliners were desperate to regain the presidency in June from the pragmatists.
This does not mean that there might not be a deal at some point.
But McMaster was saying that hardline power centers believe that whoever controls the presidency will also have an upper-hand in the battle over who will succeed Khamenei himself as Iran’s true leader.
As such, the current round of negotiations could be a mere prelude to what comes post-June.
Another issue that came up with the former lieutenant-general was that Iran “is not isolated at the same level” that it was leading into the 2015 nuclear deal and that China is feeling freer to prop up Iran “because of Biden’s return to a conciliatory policy” in addressing Tehran. READ MORE
