On COI #201, Kyle Anzalone and Connor Freeman cover the latest on the JCPOA talks, Tel Aviv’s efforts to sabotage diplomacy, and

Joe Biden’s efforts to placate the Israelis. Connor reports on the Americans’ unfair criticisms of Iran. They say Tehran’s delegation in Vienna is not taking the indirect negotiations seriously. The Europeans regurgitate the same tired rhetoric. But Biden’s administration has imposed new sanctions on Iran, they constantly say time is running out, and they have issued myriad threats that all “options” are on the table. This highly aggressive U.S. posture in the midst of ongoing efforts to reach an agreement, is leading Iranian diplomats to say it is Washington that refuses to take the talks seriously.

Concurrently, the Israelis are banging war drums, imploring the U.S. to abandon the talks, as well as attempting to prevent Iran and their Sunni neighbors from establishing positive relations. Israel’s top officials are openly discussing attacking Iran with American officials as well. A New York Times report recently revealed that Tel Aviv consulted with Washington before covertly attacking Iran’s civilian nuclear program in June. This apparently occurred again before another Israeli sabotage attack in Iran months later. This is part and parcel of the “maximum pressure” campaign Biden continues to pursue: a combination of American sanctions, threats, and Israeli attacks.

Kyle and Connor then discuss the Russians and the Chinese interests in seeing a U.S. return to the nuclear deal, along with possible outcomes including whether the deal is dead or not, if the Europeans are going to put forward a counter draft proposal, and the “coma option.”