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Iran Endorses Sanctions Against Itself

IRGC  leader tells international community to ‘eat my shorts’

by
Adam Chandler
December 07, 2012
Judd Nelson in 'The Breakfast Club'(Spokeo)
Judd Nelson in 'The Breakfast Club'(Spokeo)

A report from the AP this morning:

A senior commander of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard claimed Friday that Western sanctions are helpful because they promote Iranian self-sufficiency and insisted the country’s leaders should welcome the measures.



Oil and trade embargos have helped Iran reduce its reliance on the outside world, Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi told worshippers at Tehran University in a pre-sermon speech.



The remarks echoed the defiant mantra of Iranian conservatives who say the economy is strengthening and that Iran is developing more modern technologies – including building missiles, drones, satellites and advancing its uranium enrichment program – precisely because of the West’s punitive measures.

Well then, it’s settled! As it turns out, the sanctions seem to be making everyone happy. Where have I seen this before?

For kicks, he added this turn of logic:

In his speech, Naqdi said a man who runs 100 meters in 20 seconds can finish it in 7 seconds if a wolf is chasing him, and that was the case for Iran.

Adam Chandler was previously a staff writer at Tablet. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, Slate, Esquire, New York, and elsewhere. He tweets @allmychandler.