Portside

Whether it’s Cuba or Venezuela or Iran, history shows that sanctions alone have never forced a change in policy by an adversary. Iranians and Americans alike deserve diplomacy, not war — and that includes war by economic means.

The Iranian revolution was not "Islamic" and "Islamist" forces who took over needed pseudo crises to implement their agenda. The "hostage crisis" was the first and "nuclear policy" is the latest of such crises that portray "Iran vs. the world." The other side, the US and some regional powers, too, welcome such a "bogeyman" role by Iran. This scheme, due to its economic and political costs could not continue further.