Let me tell why Iran has not capitulated under U.S. military pressure, Mr. Witkoff.
Let me tell why Iran has not capitulated under U.S. military pressure, Mr. Witkoff.
The same explanation also accounts for why Iran did not capitulate during the nearly five decades that preceded it—through Saddam Hussein’s invasion and use of chemical weapons; sweeping U.S. and Western sanctions; attempted coups; Israeli targeted assassinations; relentless psychological warfare; and the era of so-called “maximum pressure.”
Three words—three foundational principles rooted in Iran’s millennia-old civilization—guide my country’s foreign policy:
Dignity. Wisdom. Expediency.
Notice that Dignity comes first. Indeed, the other two exist in service of it.
Iranians do not operate within the narrow, materialist cost-benefit calculus you appear to assume. That is why Iran’s intentions are so often misread and why they are persistently misunderstood.
As a businessman accustomed to transactional power relationships, you—and President Donald Trump—may find it difficult to grasp why, unlike many other countries, Iran does not bend.
Many in the region - including your ally Israel - do understand this deeply ingrained Iranian mindset. But instead of acknowledging it, they capitalize on Washington’s misunderstanding and misperceptions, attributing intentions Iran does not have, reinforcing false assumptions, and steering the United States toward a costly war in service of their own interests.
A skilled negotiator would recognize cultural realities and adapt strategy accordingly. He would understand that a one-size-fits-all doctrine of “peace through strength” does not produce uniform results across civilizations.
Some nations would rather die standing on their feet than live crawling on their knees.
Mr. Witkoff, Iran insisted on maintaining a homegrown nuclear program precisely because it was ordered not to do so by foreign powers.
For a nation guided by dignity, coercion produces resistance, not compliance.
If you genuinely seek results through peaceful diplomacy, then abandon the threats. Temper the condescension. Pull back the warships. Treat Iran with respect. And pursue a solution that is fair, equitable, and mutually beneficial.
Only then will diplomacy have a chance to succeed.
posted by Satish Sharma at
12:07
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