Iranian Sanctions

Two headline views of the same story:

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — President Hassan Rouhani has praised a landmark nuclear deal struck in Geneva as his country's victory, telling a home crowd it effectively means the "surrender" of Western powers to Iranian demands.  U-T San Diego

Biden appeases Netanyahu over 'sanctions architecture' against Iran -- US Vice President Joe Biden says Washington is committed to enforcing its "sanctions architecture" against Iran in an attempt to appease Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  PressTV

So is the new deal a win for Iran or an appeasement of Israel?  Perhaps the real answer is somewhere in-between.  The United States has had a very long history with Iran.  Starting with the placement of the Shah Pahlavi into power (and subsequent Iranian Revolution leading to the take-over of the US Embassy in Tehran), the United States has struggled with Iran.  On one hand, the US had sold Iran then state-of-the-art F-14 Tomcats.  On the other hand, the US supported Iraq's War against Iran (including the use of chemical weapons).

The latest deal perhaps really represents the inability of the US to bring Iran in line.  Nuclear weapons continue to be the ticket to being considered a world power (or at least a nation that other world powers need to acknowledge).  The US lacks the ability to manifest real change in Iran.  It also lacks the impetus to begin yet another overseas conflict.

Israel has no conflict of conscience when it comes to Iran; they see Tehran and its nuclear weapons represents and imminent threat to Israel.  Netanyahu has no problem stating that if Iran's program advances too far they will take action.  Most likely this is the reason Vice President Biden is trying to appease Netanyahu.

And for Iran is does certainly make it look like they have stared down the US.