Trump’s proximity and overt alignment with Netanyahu has convinced many Iranian decision-makers that negotiations are merely a fig leaf for Tel Aviv’s strategic goals.
https://x.com/RezaNasri1/status/2046272867445465585
Trump claims that all he seeks from negotiations with Iran is "no nuclear weapons". If that were truly his objective, a deal would have been well within reach. But it takes two to tango, and by refusing to acknowledge that, he has engaged in a series of actions that have created an impasse of his own making:
1- He has utterly destroyed Iran's confidence in America's ability to honor its commitments.
It turns out striking Iran twice while talks were advancing, and most recently reneging on a pledge to end the naval blockade after Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, had real consequences! They confirmed Iran's perception that U.S. commitments can be revoked at a moment’s notice. Tehran now assumes any concession will be pocketed and followed by fresh demands, blatant violations by Washington or fresh attacks.
2- The very “unpredictability” Trump boasts about is fundamentally incompatible with diplomacy.
Effective negotiations require a baseline of stability and reliability. When one side treats talks as a game of constant surprise (strange tweets, flip-flops or military moves), the interlocutor cannot engage, cannot sell compromises domestically, and cannot invest political capital. What Trump calls “art of the deal” leverage is, in practice, diplomatic poison that makes rational bargaining impossible.
3- Maximalist demands coupled with constantly shifting goalposts have rendered agreement structurally unattainable.
During previous rounds of negotiations, each time Iran moved closer to meeting a set of demands, new ones were introduced. Each time agreement was reached on a specific point, the U.S. subsequently shifted its position after consultations with neocons or Tel Aviv. This pattern has led Tehran to conclude that Washington’s true objective is not simply to prevent nuclear weapons, but to sustain a constant state of pressure and hostility.
4- Trump’s proximity and overt alignment with Netanyahu has convinced many Iranian decision-makers that negotiations are merely a fig leaf for Tel Aviv’s strategic goals.
When senior U.S. officials coordinate publicly with Israeli counterparts, report to them on negotiations from their plane on their way back to Washington, echo demands that go far beyond non-proliferation (such as dismantling Iran’s conventional deterrent), Tehran sees the talks as a Trojan horse whose ultimate aim is to turn Iran into a failed state, which is Israel's ultimate objective. That perception kills any incentive for engagement.
5- Threats to “destroy a civilization,” bomb power plants, destroy bridges or outright assassinate negotiators have poisoned the political atmosphere required for serious talks.
Diplomacy demands at least a minimal level of mutual respect, a minimum observance of diplomatic customs and international law, and a shared interest in de-escalation. Countries that truly want to reach a deal usually try to create a political environment that is conductive to success. Trump doesn't, and that has become a real obstacle.
6- Refusal to address Iran’s core security and economic demands - or to offer tangible, immediate sanctions lifting - has collapsed the basic dynamics of give-and-take.
Iran has repeatedly signaled its willingness to accept strict, verifiable limits on its nuclear program in exchange for equally verifiable economic relief and credible security guarantees. The United States has not reciprocated. By refusing to acknowledge Iran’s deep-seated distrust of U.S. compliance - and to adjust its approach accordingly - Washington reinforces the perception that it expects Iran to honor its commitments unilaterally while remaining under constant pressure.
When you believe pressure will persist no matter what you do, you are left with little incentive to engage.
If talks take place and genuinely intends to succeed, he will need to confront this accumulated record rather than reproduce it.
posted by Satish Sharma at
05:29
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