Bronco, I pretty much agree with your overall point on the handling of Iran, but I need to clarify this mediation issue.
Do you ever feel like North Korea throws stuff like this out when it feels like it's not getting enough attention? No one's talked about North Korea as a potentially destabilizing influence in quite some time, because we've been busy with Russia in the Middle East. So Kim says "HEYYYY LOOK AT ME!!! I CAN BLOW STUFF UP!!! FEAR ME!!!"
I've wondered the same thing. It's like their leader says, "wait, everybody's talking about ISIS and the Syrians. I'm a bad guy too!! Talk about me!!!"