Iran’s game

When President Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke at the United Nations last week, each used a phrase that is key to any nuclear deal.

“The age of zero-sum games is over,” Rouhani declared. “This is not a zero-sum endeavor,” said Obama (referring to prospects for a deal on Syria, but implying the same approach toward the nuclear issue).

The phrase “zero-sum game,” loosely interpreted, means that for me to win, you must lose. There is no middle ground. But getting beyond zero-sum politics requires a minimum level of trust, or an ability to verify what the other side has promised. So far both are lacking between Washington and Teheran.

Obama’s speech, which specified that the United States doesn’t seek Iranian regime change and respects the right of the Iranian people to peaceful nuclear energy, indicates he’s open to a reasonable level of bargaining. But Rouhani’s remarks indicate that Teheran may still view compromise on the nuclear issue-or on Syria-as an unacceptable American victory, a zero-sum game.

It is essential for Obama to test Iran’s bona fides. It would benefit the entire world if Teheran were willing to provide proof that it’s no longer pursuing nuclear weapons. We need to know whether Iran is ready to relinquish the equipment, facilities, and supply of fissile material that could enable it to break out a weapon in weeks or months.

Contrary to pre-speech hopes, Rouhani revealed no details on the UN podium. His remarks seemed aimed more at pacifying Iranian hawks back home, the probable reason he avoided a handshake with Obama.

What disturbed me more than Rouhani’s lack of detail, however, was his take on Syria. While criticizing the United States and its gulf allies for “militarizing” the conflict, he claimed that Iran believes there is “no military solution.” This carries cynicism to a new extreme.

Iran is funding, arming, and training Bashar al-Assad’s Shiite militias while airlifting tons of weapons and ammunition into Damascus’ airport. Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, is said to be virtually running Assad’s war against Sunni rebels.

Suleimani has summoned thousands of Quds Force operatives from Iran, as well as Iraqi Shiite militiamen, to fight alongside Assad’s militias. He has also summoned thousands of fighters from Hezbollah, Iran’s Shiite ally in Lebanon; they have won critical battles for Assad.

So when Rouhani says there’s “no military solution” in Syria, he clearly excludes Iran from his formulation. There will be no stability in Lebanon, Syria, or Iraq without compromise between Shiites and Sunnis. Yet Iran is stoking sectarian warfare that pits Syrian Shiites against Sunnis, giving the impression that Teheran wants to play a zero-sum game in the Middle East.

Unless Iran can dispel fears about its regional intentions, it will be hard to engender the trust necessary to conclude a nuclear agreement.