Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 24, 2015

Julian Borger, The Guardian: Did the Supreme Leader just torpedo the nuclear talks?

An adamant speech by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seemed to contradict elements of a deal provisionally agreed in Lausanne in April

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, made a speech last night to mark Ramadan, and to make a stand a few days before the June 30 deadline for completing a final, comprehensive deal with world powers on his country’s nuclear programme.

As is his wont, Khamenei framed the issue in terms of Iranian defiance in the face of an American-led campaign to destroy the country’s nuclear programme and thereby hobble Iran as a regional power. But he also went into detail, setting down apparent red lines on what Iran would accept. What has drawn attention is that his remarks seem to contradict parts of the provisional outline deal clinched in Lausanne at the beginning of April, as a waystation to a comprehensive agreement due to be finalised on Tuesday.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 24, 2015

Why the Iranian Leader’s Rhetoric Does Not Mean Nuclear Negotiations Are Doomed -- Harvey Morris, Time

Iran’s Regime Can Change. But a Nuclear Deal Isn’t Likely to Transform It. -- Aaron David Miller, WSJ

The making of an Iran nuclear deal: ‘patience and a thick skin’ -- Gareth Smyth, The Guardian

Clinton Defense Chief: Iran Deal Could Spark Proliferation -- Josh Rogin, Bloomberg

Understanding How ISIS Sees Itself -- Ronald Tiersky, RCW

Kurdish successes against ISIL pose risks to Obama strategy -- Jim Michaels, USA TODAY

US ransom policy shift undermines UK's hardline stance -- Simon Tisdall, The Guardian

As Pakistan heat wave starts to ease, criticism mounts of slow response -- Michael Holtz, CSM

France may raise a fuss but still needs U.S. intelligence -- Elena Berton, Special for USA TODAY

New U.S. Hostage Policy Clarifies That We Do Indeed Negotiate With Terrorists -- Joshua Keating, Slate

Why Obama is 'clarifying' US policy on families negotiating with terrorists -- Howard LaFranchi, CSM

New Hostage Policy Walks a Fine Line -- Noah Feldman, Bloomberg

How Israel defies drought -- Christa Case Bryant, CSM

The man who sleeps in Hitler’s bed -- Alex Preston, The Guardian

The Poison Bomb: Three Centuries of Trying to Stop Chemical Weapons -- Caroline Alexander, Bloomberg