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HomeARTICLESIran’s plot to assassinate Bolton proves the West’s appeasement emboldens Tehran

Iran’s plot to assassinate Bolton proves the West’s appeasement emboldens Tehran

The U.S. Justice Department unveiling a plot by the Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) to assassinate former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has shocked the world. However, it should come to no surprise as it is yet another reminder of the true nature of the mullahs’ regime ruling Iran: the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. 

There is much irony to this story, considering the fact that Iran has continued its terror plots both in the U.S. and against its principle opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Albania, while the West has been continuing its negotiations for a highly flawed nuclear deal with Tehran. A deal that will provide the regime with access to hundreds of billions of dollars to continue its role as the central banker of international terrorism. 

Shahram Poursafi, an IRGC member, is now wanted by the FBI on charges related for the murder-to-hire plot. On the behalf of the IRGC, Poursafi offered $300,000 for the assassination of Amb. Bolton and another $1 million for a second target, that has now been confirmed to be former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. 

The response from Washington, however, has been insufficient

A continuation of an already failing appeasement policy vis-à-vis the mullahs in Tehran.  

“Our message to Iran is clear: we will not tolerate threats of violence against Americans — and that certainly includes former government officials. Any attack would be met with severe consequences,” tweeted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

Unfortunately, this means there will only be “severe consequences” if an attack is actually carried out, and no consequences at all for Tehran for plotting these two assassinations. Tehran will consider a mere U.S. Justice Department indictment of an IRGC member who remains at large as a weak response, emboldening the regime to further pursue their belligerence across the board. Blinken’s tweets sounds more like Washington will tolerate threats of violence against American citizens and even former U.S. government officials. 

In line with Blinken’s weak tone, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday, on the condition of anonymity, that Washington does not believe the charges raised against an IRGC member should affect their nuclear diplomacy with the Iranian regime. This, too, will only further encourage Tehran to add to their long list of demands and concessions from Washington and Europe through the highly flawed deal on the table as we speak. 

 

It is worth noting that this nuclear deal will provide more funding to the IRGC and its Quds Force to launch even more terror operations across the globe, including such assassination plots. 

“Obviously the US has not done enough to deter the Iranian regime. It’s not enough to avoid having Americans being killed as long as Iran gov’t is threatening them. That should be unacceptable,” Amb. Bolton said in an interview on Wednesday with Iran International. 

“The JCPOA was not going to deal with Iran’s terrorist issue. We see now this regime has no intention whatever to comply with any commitment that it makes. It’s untrustworthy, it’s clearly an enemy of US. That’s what these threats of assassination show,” Amb. Bolton added, referring to the 2015 nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). 

“Part of the fundamental flaw of the 2015 nuclear deal was the idea that Ayatollah Khamenei had two brains: one brain was the nuclear brain, the other brain was the terrorist brain. He doesn’t. It’s all part and parcel of the same thing,” Amb. John Bolton concluded. 

A troubling factor in the IRGC plot to assassinate Amb. Bolton is that, based on the FBI’s affidavit, the entire plan began in October 2021 when nuclear negotiations with Iran were paused by the mullahs’ regime following the selection of Ebrahim Raisi as the regime’s new president. Troubling is the part that the plot continued throughout the remainder of 2021 and into 2022, when the talks resumed. This means the U.S. administration decided to go on with the process despite having knowledge that Iran was plotting to assassinate at least one former senior U.S. official.  

This indicates that the ruling mullahs in Tehran were assured there would be no consequences or retaliation from Washington even if the assassination was successful while the nuclear talks were continuing in Vienna. This is quite telling, and again troubling, about Washington’s approach and willingness to continue their appeasement policy with Tehran, tolerating anything and everything for the sake of obtained an extremely lopsided nuclear agreement with the Iranian regime. 

The FBI affidavit sheds light on Poursafi claiming to have established a network inside the U.S. This means the IRGC has a network of terrorists and assassins on American soil that the U.S. administration is fully aware of, and still Washington refuses to walk out of the nuclear talks with Iran. Also, according to the FBI affidavit, the IRGC was apparently able to gain access to non-public information about Amb. Bolton’s traveling schedule, along with pre-operation surveillance and intelligence about Sec. Pompeo. 

None of this should be taken lightly. Washington should be serious about this matter and adopt a firm stance. The Justice Department should start by apprehending all members of the Iranian regime’s network of terrorists and would-be assassins on U.S. soil, busting their operations, and sending Tehran a message that such actions will not be tolerated. Furthermore, the U.S. should immediately walk out of the nuclear talks with Iran and start reimposing and implementing targeted sanctions against the regime and the IRGC. 

“Just weeks ago, the Biden administration was trying to lift terror sanctions on IRGC, even though it knew IRGC was plotting to kill Americans on US soil. The regime in Iran does not deserve nor should it receive a penny in sanctions relief,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney to the media on Wednesday. 

Washington should also be indicating to Tehran that their terrorism and assassination plots will not be tolerated by refusing a visa to Raisi for next month’s United Nations General Assembly. 

“IRGC plot to assassinate Amb. John Bolton is alarming. Regime’s president was involved in the massacre of political prisoners & 1,500 protesters. Now, he is embarking on assassinating foreign politicians. Raisi must not enter the US & UN. He must be arrested & prosecuted,” tweeted Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chairman of the Iranian opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Foreign Affairs Commission. 

The West is once again facing a litmus test of their already failed appeasement-led foreign policy vis-à-vis Tehran. Chamberlain chose the path of appeasement in the face of Hitler, leading to World War II and the deaths of tens of millions of people across the globe. In our times, the West has failed again to adopt a strong policy. It is truly preposterous that we are here again despite all the noble “Never again” campaigns. 

Tehran’s mullahs have been watching closely for the past four decades, banking on the West’s illogical insistence on appeasement, causing death and destruction throughout the Middle East and beyond, and taking Western nationals hostage to swap for its convicted terrorists. 

As Tehran continues its role as the leading state sponsor of terrorism parallel to further developing its nuclear weapons program, when will the West finally realize it is high time to end the cycle of appeasement and terrorism? 

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