U.S. Foreign Policy ‘Disintegrating’ – Khamenei

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today accused U.S. Republican senators of “deceit” for intending to scrap any nuclear deal once President Obama’s term ends. Khamenei was reacting to a recent open letter signed by 47 Republican senators.

“Isn’t this the ultimate degree of the collapse of political ethics and the U.S. system’s internal disintegration?” Khamenei asked referring to the Republicans written intention. (Mehr News Agency/Reuters/12 March)

Khamenei added that the Americans use “tricks and deceptions” when approaching the end of negotiations. He made the comments in a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and senior clerics. Whenever negotiations made progress, they become “harsher, tougher and coarser,” Khamenei said.

File photo: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; September 2012 (IRNA)

Kerry Decries 'New Isolationism'

Secretary of State John Kerry inveighed against what he called a “new isolation” tendency in the United States. Kerry made the comments on Wednesday to a small group of reporters and added that the country was beginning to behave like a poor nation. (Reuters, 26 February)

Kerry told the reporters that the expected budget for FY’15, with tighter spending, in part at the behest of congressional Republicans, could limit U.S. clout around the world.

“There's a new isolationism,” Kerry said. “We are beginning to behave like a poor nation.” (Reuters, 26 February)

“This is not a budget we want. It's not a budget that does what we need,” Kerry said. Pointing out that the budget deal entailed cuts demanded by the Republican-led House of Representatives. “It was the best the president could get. It's not what he wanted.”

File photo: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Jakarta, 16 February 2014. (EVAN VUCCI/POOL/REUTERS)