Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

U.S. Overtakes Saudi Arabia to Become World’s Biggest Oil Producer
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily NewsFinancial Post
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The United States has overtaken Saudi Arabia to become the world’s biggest oil producer as the jump in output from shale plays has led to the second biggest oil boom in history, according to leading U.S. energy consultancy PIRA.

U.S. output, which includes natural gas liquids and biofuels, has swelled 3.2 million barrels per day (bpd) since 2009, the fastest expansion in production over a four-year period since a surge in Saudi Arabia’s output from 1970-1974, PIRA said in a release on Tuesday.

It was the latest milestone for the U.S. oil sector caused by the shale revolution, which has upended global oil trade. While still the largest consumer of fuel, the rise of cheap crude available to domestic refiners has turned the United States into a significant exporter of gasoline and distillate fuels.

Last month, China surpassed the United States as the largest importer of crude, according to the U.S. government, as the rise of domestic output cuts the U.S. dependence on overseas oil.

“(The U.S.) growth rate is greater than the sum of the growth of the next nine fastest growing countries combined and has covered most of the world’s net demand growth over the past two years,” PIRA Energy Group wrote.

To Busy
Oct 16th, 2013
PoemAvis B. Christiansen
Categories: Exhortation

Forgive me Lord, that I allow my days and hours to be

So filled with trfling tasks, that oft I find bo time for thee.

My thoughts so oft are occupied with countless earthly things,

When thou wouldst have them mount on high by faith with eagles wings.

So many duties round me press, That rob me of the time

I fain would spend with Thee, my lord, in fellowship divine.

Too busy- O forbid, dear Lord, that should ever be

Too much engrossed in worldly tasks to spend an hour with Thee!

That I should let the din of life drown out Thy voice of love

And groveling in the "sands of time," lose out on things above.

O help me, Lord, to take the time- to set all else aside,

That in the secret place of prayer I may with thee abide.

To hear what thou wouldst say to me, And hold communion sweet;

To praise Thy precious worthy Name and worship at thy feet:

To hearken to Thy holy will, To feel thy cleansing pow'r-

O may I ne'er let aught deprive my soul of this blest hour!

The Big List of Obama Shutdown Outrages
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily NewsWND
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

In South Dakota, the federal government blockaded portions of a state highway during a devastating early season blizzard near Mt. Rushmore to prevent sightseers from snapping a picture of the storm-obscured landmark.

Priests have been threatened with arrest for, well, doing what priests do for parishioners on military bases.

Private businesses have been ordered closed down.

“Gestapo-like” rangers ordered tourists in Yellowstone, who had paid their admission, to get back on their bus and go to their hotel, where armed officers guarded the doors.

There even was an attempt to close an ocean.

This all would be preparation for a massive terror threat endangering millions?

Or maybe for a natural disaster?

Nope.

All because the White House disagreed with Republicans over funding for a portion of the federal government.

The egregious federal government actions during the partial government shutdown, triggered when President Obama refused to even talk with Republicans about their compromise budget offers, have left Americans shaking their heads, from veterans at a World War II memorial in Washington that is open to the air but “barrycaded” by the Obama administration, to those wondering how a government could close an ocean.

One National Park Service worker quoted by the Washington Times said the orders from the Obama administration were to punish Americans.

“We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting,” he said.

WND columnist Gina Loudon already has listed the “top 10 most insane moments” of the Obama-Reid shutdown.

They included:

1) “Not only did Obama include the National Institute of Health’s experimental treatments for children with terminal cancer in the shutdown, he has threatened to veto funding that Republicans have offered to reinstate. And all along we thought it was Republicans who wanted children to die.”

2) “Military suicides are at an all-time high. Obama’s answer to that? Remove their chaplains! The chaplains know the importance of their work for our service members during this tumultuous time in the throes of the Navy Yard shootings, Benghazi and the rest of it, so they offered their services for free. Obama’s response? He said chaplains can be arrested if they voluntarily serve our military.”

3) “The Library of Congress website was shut down until Oct. 4. Loc.gov was redirected to a notice that it was no longer available due to the shutdown. On Friday, one of the essential bureaucrats in Washington discovered that leaving the website up actually costs nothing. At last glance, the LOC website is back up and running. In related news, the FCC social media team announced they will not be tweeting due to the shutdown. What will we do without tweets from the FCC?”

Salvation
Oct 16th, 2013
Good NewsThe Bible
Categories: Exhortation

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3: 14-18).

Rev. Guards to Khamenei: Stop Detente With U.S. At Geneva
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

DEBKAfile’s Iranian sources report that Revolutionary Guards leaders demanded of Iran’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Wednesday that he put a stop to the upbeat comments of Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif and his deputy at the Geneva talks - and most of all the détente with the United States. Khamenei replied that after he hears a full report on the two-day Geneva conference which ends Wednesday, he will decide how to act and respond publicly.

Lt. Gov. Dewhurst Says President Obama Should be Impeached
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily NewsCBS
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

A surprising statement from one of Texas’ top leaders: President Obama should be impeached. This came from Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, who is running for re-election and appeared at a Tea Party candidates forum.

Dewhurst warned that freedoms are being trampled on, and so the President should be impeached.  Later he fleshed out his thoughts for the Texas Observer’s Christopher Hooks.  “I think this President, Barack Obama, has disregarded federal law.  He has tried to do things which are not authorized under federal law.  Things he’s disregarded such as immigration.  He’s not, not following our federal drug laws.   And he has created winners and losers in Obamacare where he has no authority,” according to Dewhurst, who pointed out the extensions given to unions and big businesses.

And then Dewhurst criticized alleged inaction. “I am very concerned about Benghazi, in which all of the national news reporting indicated that live video was streaming into the White House situation room.  Which means there was a(n) overhead platform, probably a drone in the area.  At least that’s what it tells me.   And for not mobilizing some response to protect the ambassador and those three Americans is just outrageous to me.  Just outrageous.”

Dewhurst called his comments those of a private citizen, but when pressed on that issue by the Texas Observer, he refused to  back down.  “That happens to be my view, that the man has committed crimes that do not warrant his staying in office.”

CBS-11 Political Analyst John Weekley  says Dewhurst should be taken seriously.  He points out the Lieutenant Governor was an intelligence officer for both the U.S. Air Force and later the CIA.

Livni and Erekat Weigh Up Land Transfer Proposal
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily NewsINN Adam Ross
Categories: Today's Headlines;Peace Process

A state official has told Israel's Maariv newspaper of a land transfer proposal being discussed in talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Talks are currently taking place between MK Tzipi Livni (Hatnua) and Saeb Ererkat the Chief Negotiator of the Palestinian Authority (PA), after US Secretary of State John Kerry kick-started the beleaguered peace process a few months ago.

The newspaper reported Wednesday morning, that during the framework of negotiations a proposal has been tabled that would see Israel transfer land near Shechem to the PA. This would be compensated by Israel annexing other areas in Judea and Samaria (Yehuda and Shomron).

 According to the report, Israeli sources have spoken about the matter to avoid reports being leaked to media. This has already happened frequently on the palestinian side.

Even though talks have received significant media interest, many analysts are not optimistic about their chances of success.

Last week, writing for the Arutz Sheva newspaper, MK Tzahi Hanegbi (Likud) expressed his view that it was impossible that palestinians would agree to the lines Netanyahu had laid down for the talks.

Netanyahu's position protects the non-divisibility of Jerusalem, demands Israel maintain control of the Jordan Valley, as well as annexing areas of growing settlement blocks in Judea and Samaria. In addition the prime minister has refused the absorption of palestinian Arab refugees to Israeli territory and demanded that the PA declare Israel as a Jewish State.

Netanyahu says that Israel needs to retain control of the Jordan Valley to maintain its security. He also argues that the flooding of Israel with palestinian Arab refuges would destroy the country's Jewish character.

According to the Maariv report, there is a suspicion in Israel that at the end of the nine months allocated for the Livni-Erekat talks, the US will publicize a document accusing Israel of torpedoing the talks. In order to prevent the publication of this document, the report said, efforts were being made to discuss the possibilities of land swaps. 

The recent spate of terrorist attacks by PA Arabs has led to calls by many MK's to curtail talks or at best to discuss whether they are worth continuing. 

Doubts were also placed on the progress of the talks by Israel's prime minister. On his recent trip to the US at the start of October Netanyahu reportedly told Americans in a closed meeting that "the talks were going nowhere."

Let the Headlines Speak
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Cover-up: Top Israeli rabbi 'found Messiah'
He was, without doubt, the most venerated rabbi in Israel at the age of 108. Some 250,000 marched in his funeral procession after his death in 2007. And what was the name of the Messiah whom Kaduri met after years of praying and fasting? It was Yehoshua – the formal name for Yeshua, or Jesus in the Greek.  

Rebuilding the Jewish Temple
The people of Israel are anxious to rebuild a new Temple, and many preparations have been made to that end already. Priests' vestments and vessels to be used in Temple services have been prepared, and priests are being trained. The main hindrance is the building site itself. The Temple Mount is home to several Islamic holy places: the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Whether the Temple can be constructed either next to, or in place of, these Islamic shrines awaits a determination of where the previous Jewish Temples stood.  

International Monetary Fund strongly suggests countries tax the rich to fix deficit
Tax the rich and better target the multinationals: The IMF has set off shockwaves this week in Washington by suggesting countries fight budget deficits by raising taxes. Tucked inside a report on public debt, the new tack was mostly eclipsed by worries about the US budget crisis, but did not escape the notice of experts and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).  

Magnitude 7.1 earthquake hits near Papua New Guinea
Magnitude 7.1 earthquake has rocked the Papua New Guinea area, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake was located 65km west-southwest of Panguna in Papua New Guinea. It struck at 8:31pm (10:31 GMT) Wednesday at a depth of 58km.  

Turkey missile deal shows China's growing Mideast clout
Expected sale of Chinese FD-2000 missile defense system to Ankara 'a wake up call,' former US official says. Survey shows China viewed more positively than US in every Mideast state except Israel.  

Recent Earthquake Teachable Moments
Magnitude 7.1 Philippines Magnitude 7.0 Peru Magnitude 7.7 Pakistan Magnitude 7.0 Andreanof Islands, Alaska Magnitude 7.3 South Sandwich Island Magnitude 7.2 Papua New Guinea Magnitude 8.3 Sea of Okhotsk Magnitude 7.4 Tonga ETC.  

Estimate doubled for vCJD carriers in UK
Twice as many Britons as previously thought could be carrying the human form of "mad cow" disease, variant CJD. Researchers believe one in 2,000 people in the UK is a carrier of the disease linked to eating contaminated beef. Their estimate in the BMJ comes from studying more than 32,000 samples of human tissue removed during appendix operations carried out between 2000 and 2012 at 41 hospitals.  

Iran 'may allow' snap nuclear checks
Iran could allow unannounced visits to its nuclear sites as a "last step" in a proposal to resolve differences with the West, an Iranian official says. Lowering uranium enrichment levels could also be part of a final deal, the official told Iranian media. World powers and Iran are holding a second and final day of talks on Tehran's nuclear programme in Geneva.  

Iran the main obstacle to peace with Palestinians, PM says
“Iran is a large empire,” Netanyahu explained to MKs assembled in the plenum for the Knesset’s 40-year commemoration of the Yom Kippur War. “Its offshoots are arrayed throughout the Middle East. It sends them against us. It is in de facto control of Syria, it controls Lebanon, it controls half the Palestinians through Hamas.”  

Netanyahu makes a case for a preemptive strike
Benjamin Netanyahu offered a thinly veiled defense of a possible Israeli preemptive strike on Iran during a Knesset commemoration Tuesday of the 40th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.  

Philippine quake relief under way as toll rises
More than 140 people are now reported to have died in the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the central Philippines on Tuesday. Relief efforts are continuing on the island of Bohol, which bore the brunt of the quake, and in neighbouring Cebu. President Benigno Aquino arrived in the region on Wednesday to visit affected communities, many of which saw buildings destroyed.  

Lt. Gov. Dewhurst Says President Obama Should Be Impeached
“I think this President, Barack Obama, has disregarded federal law. He has tried to do things which are not authorized under federal law. Things he’s disregarded such as immigration. He’s not, not following our federal drug laws. And he has created winners and losers in Obamacare where he has no authority,” according to Dewhurst, who pointed out the extensions given to unions and big businesses.  

Blogger on Far-Left Website Thought He ‘Could Go Along’ With Obamacare – Now He Can’t Believe What’s Happening to His Health Insurance
My wife and I just got our updates from Kaiser telling us what our 2014 rates will be. Her monthly has been $168 this year, mine $150. We have a high deductible. We are generally healthy people who don’t go to the doctor often. I barely ever go. The insurance is in case of a major catastrophe. Well, now, because of Obamacare, my wife’s rate is gong to $302 per month and mine is jumping to $284.  

Entombed in Snow: Up to 100,000 Cattle Perished Where They Stood in Rogue South Dakota Blizzard
The animals held out as long as they could against the punishing 70-mile-per-hour winds and the blinding snow. Unable to get to safety, thousands of cattle, horses and other animals simply died where they fell—or stood—in the storm that lashed western South Dakota for 24 hours earlier this month, with whipping winds lasting well into the following day.  

CRACKLING SUNSPOT
Sunspot AR1865 is crackling with C- and M-class solar flares, at least one every few hours. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the extreme UV flash from this M1-flare at 23:36 UT on Oct. 15th. Stronger flares could be in the offing.  

Egypt-U.S. relations in turmoil, says foreign minister
Relations between the United States and Egypt are in deep-seated turmoil which could hurt the entire Middle East, the Egyptian foreign minister said in remarks published on Wednesday.  

Iran willing to discuss snap inspections of its nuclear facilities
Iran and the world powers resumed talks for the second day in Geneva on Wednesday and many questions remain regarding the content of the new Iranian proposal that was presented on Tuesday. At this stage, it appears as though the Iranian proposal includes the willingness to limit uranium enrichment, but also a demand that the world powers recognize Iran's right to enrich uranium on its soil.  

God's laws sing out in Nashville
The Ten Commandments made the news in Nashville last year when state lawmakers voted to allow displays of God’s laws on courthouse lawns and the like. But a new billboard is reminding Music City USA once again of those biblical standards for life. The newest billboard is located at Harding Place and Antioch Boulevard in Nashville. It’s part of a nationwide effort to re-introduce Americans to the Ten Commandments and awaken both believers and non-believers to the evil that abounds in America.  

Americans "Ready To Kill" Over Obamacare
Obamacare doesn't officially kick off until January 1st, yet millions of Americans are already at each other's throats over it. Research from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the country is now more divided than any other time in history since the Civil War era. In fact, 20 states including Texas, Georgia and Louisiana have threatened to secede.  

Nato war games come at tricky time in EU-Russia relations
Nato is to hold large-scale war games on Russia's border a couple of weeks before the EU, at an event in Lithuania, plans to take away a former Soviet jewel: Ukraine. The military exercise, called Steadfast Jazz, will see the Western alliance put 6,000 of its soldiers, mariners and airmen through their paces in Poland and in the Baltic Sea region from 2 to 9 November.  

Fitch warns it may cut U.S. credit rating from AAA
Fitch Ratings warned on Tuesday it could cut the sovereign credit rating of the United States from AAA, citing the political brinkmanship over raising the federal debt ceiling. "Although Fitch continues to believe that the debt ceiling will be raised soon, the political brinkmanship and reduced financing flexibility could increase the risk of a U.S. default," the firm said in a statement.  

Dutch diplomat beaten in Moscow
A Dutch diplomat in Russia has been beaten up by two unidentified men who barged into his apartment in central Moscow. The attack follows the arrest of a Russian diplomat in The Hague earlier this month and is certain to add to growing tensions between the two countries.  

Japan Typhoon Wipha kills 14 people
At least 14 people have been killed after a powerful typhoon passed close to the Japanese capital, reports say. Typhoon Wipha caused landslides and flooding on Izu Oshima island, south of Tokyo.  

Putin Builds North Korea Rail to Circumvent Suez Canal
Vladimir Putin is inching closer to his goal of turning Russia into a major transit route for trade between eastern Asia and Europe by prying open North Korea, a nuclear-capable dictatorship isolated for half a century.  

US debt ceiling: Senate takes over as House plans fail
Frantic US political attempts to avert a federal debt default have pivoted back to the Senate after plans in the House of Representatives collapsed. Upper chamber leaders resumed work overnight on a deal to raise the US borrowing limit and end a partial government shutdown. 

Jews Arrested for Singing on Temple Mount
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily NewsIsrael Today
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Ten Jewish men were arrested on Monday after they unfurled Israeli flags and sang the Israeli national anthem atop Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

What could be so wrong about public displays of national pride in one’s own national capital? Unfortunately for these 10 men, all expressions of Jewishness, be they nationalistic or religious, are strictly forbidden atop the Temple Mount, which ironically is Judaism’s holiest site.

Sheikh Yusuf Adeis, a senior local Muslim cleric, told Arabic media that the actions of these Jewish men constituted a “heinous crime” and a “violation of all treaties.”

Nor does it require such a conspicuous demonstration to get oneself expelled from the Temple Mount or even detained and questioned by police. Last Thursday, three Jewish men were led away for quietly reciting prayers at the holy site.

Citing Israel’s laws guaranteeing freedom of religion, the Supreme Court has reaffirmed the right of Jews to pray at the Temple Mount. However, the court also continues to permit police to halt any Jewish expressions of faith if they feel such actions could “disturb the peace.” And the Muslim authorities that control the compound have made sure Jewish prayers will indeed result in a disturbance.

Today, any Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount are closely monitored by Muslim guards, who will demand Israeli police action at even the hint that said Jewish visitors are praying.

Fearing an explosion of Muslim violence, Israeli police dutifully play along, leading to repeated criticism that Israel has effectively lost control of the Temple Mount.

'Netanyahu is not Bluffing on Intention to Strike Iran'
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily NewsJpsot
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu “is not bluffing” on his intentions to strike Iran, should the Islamic Republic continue its nuclear program for much longer, a former senior Israeli military official told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

“Bibi’s not bluffing,” said the retired senior official, who requested anonymity to speak freely. “He thinks it’s the 1930s. The Iranians are the Germans, and history has a sense of humor with six million Jews now in Israel.”

Since the UN General Assembly last month, Netanyahu has assured journalists in the United States that he supports President Barack Obama’s diplomatic overtures to Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, while also calling him a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” not to be trusted.

Western powers suspect Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, as it continues to enrich uranium well beyond the grade required for any civilian nuclear use.

The former senior official told the Post that Israeli intelligence assesses Saudi Arabia would not wait “a minute” after Iran acquires a nuclear weapon to build or buy one themselves, risking a nuclear arms race in the world’s least stable region.

“The Saudis have the missile technology already,” he said. “I’d be surprised if they don’t just take warheads from the Pakistanis. They’ve already paid for them.”

Emphasizing the importance of existing sanctions, the official said Iran would try to get the financial pressures lifted with as few concessions as possible.

While generally supportive of the prime minister’s policy, he said that the leadership of Israel’s intelligence community has repeatedly warned Netanyahu against striking and said that the tone of his speech to the UN last month was “a mistake.”

'Iran Plays Brilliant Chess Game, West will Fold'
Oct 16th, 2013
Daily NewsYnetNews
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Iran and the world powers will start negotiations on Iran's nuclear plan Tuesday, and Mark Dubowitz, an expert on the sanctions on Iran, claims the Islamic Republic is playing a brilliant chess game while the West is aware of only half the board.

"Iran wants to test Obama's courage and Europe's greed, to see if it can improve its economic situation without relinquishing its 'right' to enriching uranium," he warned in an interview for Ynet.

Dubowitz, the executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank which focuses on national security and foreign policy, claimed that "Iran's situation is hard, but not desperate. They can continue on the same path with foreign currency reserves for at least another year.

"Because of the sanctions, Iran has $80 billion lying in foreign banks, 50 of which are in China, India, Japan, South Korea and Turkey, all clients of Iranian oil.

"Iran can spend this money only in these countries because of the sanctions leveled against it, but there's a limit to what it's willing to buy there. Meanwhile the money's piling up from further oil profits. Another $20 billion are in Russia, Austria, Switzerland, and maybe also in Malaysia and Georgia. Iran has full access to these funds."

According to Dubowitz, the countries last mentioned "are not willing to enforce the sanctions properly, especially the Russians." He added another $10 billion are stuck in various banks around the world, mainly in Europe, due to concerns of cooperation with the ostracized regime.

"The Iranians have enough money pay for foreign imports. Even though most of the Iranian stores now sell Chinese merchandise instead of German, as they did before, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's will won't break."

Secret funds

According to Dubowitz, this information is the result of the effort of a team of experts and analysts from the Roubini Global Economics firm, which worked together with the FDD and authored a report which describes the flow of money to Iran from over 170 countries.

"Our report has a part that deals with Iranian money that doesn't appear in the books. Beyond the $80 billion I've mentioned, there are tens of billions of dollars we believe are controlled by Khamenei, by the Quds Force commander (the undercover arm of the Revolutionary Guard, which plans attacks abroad) Qasem Soleimani and by additional elements in the regime.

"These are assets, holdings, investments and real estate. It's possible that what we discovered is a drop in the ocean," Dubowitz said.

Sanctions not enough

While the FDD believe the international sanctions dealt Iran a painful blow, they claim they did not change the game – the Tehran regime is not concern by the possibility of an American military action and damage to its nuclear program.

"There's a lot of pressure on the Iranian economy. This is the only reason Iran has agreed to the talks," Dubowitz said. "The sanctions are not as great as they say. So far, they haven't stopped Iran's plan to acquire nuclear arms. The sanctions should have been maximal, to bring Iran's economy to the edge of collapse. They were also supposed to make Khamenei realize he must stop the nuclear program or suffer an economic breakdown that will threaten the regime. We're not even close to that. And every day that goes by, the Iranians are finding loopholes, the sanctions are not enforced, and no new sanctions are promoted."

Over the last few weeks Iran's President Hassan Rohani unleashed what the media termed a "charm offensive," which included moderate remarks and reaching out in peace to the West, especially to the US. Rohani's apparent moderation led the five world powers – the US, Britain, Russia, France and China – together with Germany, to resume the talks with the Islamic Republic.

"Countries around the world are feeling the wind is changing, and they're less afraid of doing business with Iran and of losing future profits due to deals with it," Dubowitz said.

He also warned that "the Obama administration continues to believe the current sanctions are strong enough to fundemantaly change Khamenei's calculations. But the Iranians are entering the negotiations with an advantage. This is based on the fact that every day the centrifuges keep spinning and new ones are installed. The Iranians are stockpiling more uranium and making headway in plutonium production."

On the other side, Dubowitz claimed, "No one believes Obama will attack in Iran. Our only advantage is the sanctions."

Iranian advantage

The American expert thinks Obama's administration already hinted at what it's willing to give up even before the negotiations began. "Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman was asked last week at the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee hearing if the US will object to allowing Iran enrich uranium, and she answered that this is the US's maximal stance. If I sit in Tehran and watch this hearing, I reach the conclusion that this is the US's opening position and that it can be lowered. The result: Iran's stance is that uranium enrichment is its non-negotiable right."

On Sunday, Iran signaled that it will not allow its current stock of enriched uranium to be shipped out of the country as part of any deal. The Iranian negotiation team chief, Abbas Araghchi, said that “The shipping of materials out of the country is our red line.”

Iran also said it is prepared to negotiate over “the form, amount, and various levels of (uranium) enrichment," though they will not cease it altogether.

According to Dubowitz, many signs have already been registered as to the West's folding in the face of Iran. "Everyone are preparing the negotiation table for concessions. Everyone wants a deal. Iran must soften the world's objections to enrichment to only 3.5% and then one day, at Tehran's ease, we'll wake up to a new reality."