ENDGAME? – AT 7:14 A.M. ET:  It's becoming pretty clear that the nuclear "negotiations" with Iran are a farce.  Iran is gaining time and giving up nothing.  Now the secretary of state is warning that crunch time may come later this month.   

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton indicated Friday that Iran would need to prove its intentions to take steps to address international concerns over its nuclear program by the end of this month.

"We are looking for concrete actions and we will know by the next meeting in Moscow in just a few weeks whether Iran is prepared to take such actions," Clinton told reporters while on a trip to Norway.

She continued, "We will judge them by their actions and we will determine whether those actions are sufficient to meet their obligations."

The third round of negotiations over Iran's nuclear program is scheduled to begin on June 17 in Moscow, following inconclusive talks world powers held with the Islamic Republic in April and May in two Middle East capitals.

COMMENT:  It sounds like tough talk, but it really isn't.  Clinton's comments lack bite because her boss lacks bite.  All Iran has to do later this month is make one minor concessions and play it up, and the Obamans will advertise "progress."  Their objective is to avoid any international confrontation that may affect the election campaign or drive oil prices up before the November vote. 

The Iranians, following the Persian tradition, are remarkably adept at negotiating and stalling.  They are currently taking a very hard line while satellite photos show them cleaning up a nuclear site, apparently to open it for international inspection once all traces of nuclear activity are gone. 

We keep a close eye on the Iran situation, which also affects the Syrian crisis.  Syria is Iran's closest ally in the Arab world.  We'll see if there's actually a crunch toward the end of June, or if Obama gives the Iranians still more time.

June 2, 2012