Is Iran playing the U.S. in the nuclear talks?

Hiding in the standoff between President Obama and Congress over how to deal with international negotiations aimed at limiting Iran's nuclear program is a very real concern: whether the United States is getting played by Tehran.

Experts have noted that throughout the 16 months of talks between the government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the "P5+1" group — the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — there has been remarkable unity in Iran's government. Some have suggested that the perceived split between moderates and hardliners in Tehran is really a myth cooked up by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to gain advantage in the bargaining.

"He has created the myth that the U.S. needs to give concessions in order to strengthen the 'pragmatic' or 'moderate' camp in power," said Ali Alfoneh, an expert on the inner workings of Iran's theocratic regime at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. "Tehran is very, very happy with the current row in Washington."

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