What continental defence?

Yet more idiocy from Ali Larijani, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council as reported by Adnkronos International, has issued further threats to Europe:

«"not to force the Islamic Republic to cut short the dialogue process and to opt for another scenario". Speaking on Tuesday night on state television he said: "We are for a strategy based on dialogue, but if the counterparty Europe plays dirty, then we will pass onto another plan that we have worked out and then there will be problems for the Europeans."

"In this game, we are for a result that will be satisfactory to both Iran and Europe," said Larijani adding that "if we lose, the same will also happen to the other party (Europe) and they will have to prepare themselves to live in a hell."»

They're already under attack, and frankly, it already IS hell. In other words, ?heads I win, tails you lose?.

Knowing little, if anything about the reality of human nature (as opposed to having fantasist follies about it), Europe is thoroughly prepared to grab its? ankles.

Germany and France's mob populism at home has consequences. It's cost of distancing itself from the US is serious and meaningful.

«The European talks, for their part, lack clear momentum and teeth; European foreign ministers have been refreshingly strong in their rhetoric but without results. Most important, the United States and Europe have failed to bring aboard Russia and China, whose vetoes in the U.N. Security Council could obviate any meaningful multilateral response.

Tehran has masterfully exploited the limits of the U.S. and European approaches, pressing ahead with elements of its nuclear program, seeking strategic allies whom it can tempt with its vast oil and gas resources and further suppressing democracy at home.

For all Iran's claims that it wants a nuclear program for energy alone, its leaders seem interested only in results allowing it to enrich its own uranium - a dangerous proposition given the mullahs' history of deceit and radical government.»

It no longer has the instruments to deal with a gathering storm, and has little choice left but to capitulate to the first tyrant that shows up with a slingshot.

Crossposted on ¡No Pasaràn!