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GOP Senator Isakson attempting to derail Iran talks: Dr. Leon

Wilmer Leon, SIRIUS Radio talk show host

US Republican Senator Johnny Isakson’s push for obtaining compensation for Americans who were held hostage in Iran from 1979 to 1981 is aimed at derailing the negotiations between Washington and Tehran over its nuclear energy program,  American political scientist Dr. Wilmer Leon says.

Isakson has filed two amendments to Iran legislation, introduced earlier by Senators Bob Corker and Robert Menendez, that would “ensure that resolving the issue of compensation for hostages is considered” prior to any nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.

Iran and the P5+1 group – the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany – reached a landmark framework agreement over Tehran’s nuclear program in Switzerland on April 2. The two sides will now work to draft a final accord by the end of June.

The Americans held hostage in the US embassy in Tehran will meet with lawmakers' staffs next week to reiterate their demand for compensation from Iran.

Commenting to Press TV on Friday, Dr. Leon said “the timing of this of course is a bit troublesome, because the White House has been saying from the very beginning the nuclear issues, the nuclear negotiations with Iran are the sole issues being considered here.”

“One has to wonder if this is now being added into the dialogue (and) if Isakson’s issue is as issue of more derailing the negotiators or truly seeing compensation for the individuals that were held hostage,” he said.

Leon, SIRIUS Radio talk show host, stated that “to inject anything new into the process for me would be incredibly troublesome because as important as it is to have the former US hostages compensated, nuclear security in this world, I think, is a little more important than the millions of dollars that these individuals are seeking.” 

Leon also said that such a demand is not even lawful as the US agreed in 1979 not to demand compensation for the Americans.

“In the agreement in 1979, I believe, I’m drawing a blank on the name of the agreement, that it was agreed that the hostages would not be able to sue the government of Iran,” he said, adding that “with that now the United States wants to renege on that agreement.”

In November 1979, a group of Iranian university students stormed the US embassy in Tehran, also known as the “den of espionage”.

The students believed the US mission had turned into a center of spying aimed at overthrowing the Islamic establishment in Iran following the Islamic Revolution earlier that year.

Documents found at the compound later confirmed claims by Iranian students that Washington was using its Tehran embassy to plot to topple the new Islamic establishment of Iran.

AT/GJH


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