The friends of John Kerry

I think we sussed out in real time that the would-be alliance of the United States with the mad mullahs of Iran during the Obama administration was something other than an exercise in grand strategy on the part of Barack Obama et al. The Obama administration, in my view anyway, was on the other side. They hated our friends and supported our enemies.

The New York Times buries an illuminating nugget in its intensely interesting story on “a leaked audiotape that offers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes power struggles of Iranian leaders[.]” The Times explains that a copy of the recording was leaked to the London-based Persian news channel Iran International, which first reported on the recording and shared it with the Times.

I would like to be able to go to the tape, as they say, rather than rely on the Times to act as our intermediary. Until the time comes, however, analyze this: “Former Secretary of State John Kerry informed him that Israel had attacked Iranian interests in Syria at least 200 times, to his astonishment, Mr. Zarif said [on the audiotape].”

David Harsanyi comments:

It’s predictable, perhaps, that the Times glides over this remarkable exchange in a single-sentence paragraph that is submerged near the bottom of the piece. (I guess it’s better than the Washington Post, which doesn’t even mention the interaction.)

A high-ranking American official feels comfortable sharing this information with an autocratic adversary — a government that’s murdered hundreds of Americans, regularly kidnapped them, interfered with our elections, and propped up a regime that gasses its people — about the covert actions of a long-time American ally.

Our Israeli friends shouldn’t take it too personally. Kerry doesn’t like the United States much more than he does Israel.

One way or another there will be more to come. Jen Psaki will be circling back to us on this some time soon. Just make sure you have you have your BlaBlaMeter tuned up to take in the explanations and denials.

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