LOS ANGELES.–Now that the 12-day war with Israel is over, Iran is in full damage control mode realizing that they exposed to the world their military weakness, watching Israel fly daily bombing missions hitting their targets at will encountering no resistance.  Twelve-days of war ended when President Donald Trump convinced both sides on a truce to end the conflict, despite the fact that Israel was pummeling Iran for the entire war.  Iran showed it had no air defenses but, more importantly, only had ballistic missiles and drones to use in any combat, letting Israel pick all its targets including its nuclear enrichment program, ballistic missile stockpiles and manufacturing sites and many other military and non-military targets. Iran was rendered defenseless and now mush save face.  Iran’s 62-year-old Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi admonished Trump to stop speaking disrespectfully about the Ayatollah.

            Araghchi set the record straight for the time being that there are no further peace talks scheduled with the U.S., nor will Iran let the U.N. nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] back to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites.  Iran now wants to hide the extent of the destruction to Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan enrichment sites, all put out of commission by U.S. and Israeli air strikes.  “Put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone toward 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “stop huring [Khamenei’s] millions of heartfelt followers,” Araghchi said, asking Trump to back off his public attacks.  Araghchi knows the extent of damage to Iran’s nuclear enrichment set far back from inaccurate early assessments by the Defense Intelligence Agency [DIA] and other sources.  Democrats and the fake news tried to minimize damage to Iran’s nuke sites.

            Damage to Iran’s nuke sites, as Trump told the nation June 22, was accurate, Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites are in ruins after B-2 Stealth Bomber attacks drop 16 GBU-57 bunker busting bombs on Fordo and Natanz, 14 on Fordo alone. Why Democrats and the fake news minimized the damage is for pure politics. Both want to rob Trump of the praise for completing a military mission with resounding success.  Araghchi felt compelled to engage in damage control now that Iran looks vulnerable to any foreign or domestic enemy.  “The complexity and tenacity of Iranians is famously known in our magnificent carpets, woven through countless hours of hard work and patience.  But as a people, our basic premise is very simple and straightforward we know our worth, value our independence, and never allow anyone else to decide our destiny,” Araghchi said.

            Why would Araghchi talk about Persian rugs after a 12-day war that decimated much of Iran’s military and war-making capacity?  For some unknown reason, the founder of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei, fixated on destroying Israel, if he didn’t have motivation enough to oust the Shah of Iran.  When Ayatollah Khamenei took over after Khomenei’s death in 1989, he followed with the bash Israel tradition, hosting Holocaust denial conferences for no reason other than provoking Israel. Funding Gaza’s Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemnen’s Houthis as proxy terror group, the Ayatollah supplied arms-and-cash to fight proxy war with Israel. No Mideast state sponsored more terrorism against Israel than Iran.  So, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netyanyahu finally got his chance to neutralize Iran, he took his opportunity seriously.

            Talking about Persian rugs tells the real story about the state of the Iranian military, a true paper tiger, all bark and no bite.  “The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN TO ‘Daddy’ to avoid being flattened by our Missiles,” Aragchi wrote, referring to Trump military intervention.  Iran can’t hide from the fact that it was getting decimated from Israel’s relentless bombing attacks.  Israel only relied on the U.S. to finish the job at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.  “If illusions lead to worse mistakes, Iran will not hesitate to unveil its Real Capabilities, which will certainly END any Delusion about the Power of Iran.  Good will begets good will and respect begets respect,” Araghchi wrote, in the conspicuous damage control writen since Baghdad Bob talked about Iraq’s great victory against U.S. invading forces in 2003.

            Iran has nothing left other than more ineffectual ballistic missiles, not sufficient to defend any country from a skilled air force.  Araghchi wants to change the narrative to an Iranian victory, largely for public consumption.  But anyone watching the 12-day war watched Iran utterly defenseless, letting the Israeli air force complete any bombing mission of its choice. If Araghchi wants to help his country, he should cooperate with Trump to enter a news period of peace with the U.S., leaving no future necessity to repeat the bombing strikes. Araghchi knows what happened to his country during 12-days of war with Israel.  When it comes to the future, it’s doubtful Iran will want to take on Israel anytime soon. Ayatollah said he would destroy Israel and wound up destroying Iran’s nuke sites and military in only 12 days. Iran should take Trump’s offer of peace.

About the Author 

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.