Iran's Strategic Deception in Nuclear Negotiations with the US
In this opinion piece, Hamid Biglari argues that the United States is repeating historical errors in its negotiations with Iran. He contends that Washington mistakenly views Iranian officials like Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as moderates, when they are actually hard-liners using tactical flexibility to preserve the Islamic Republic. Biglari identifies Iran's core strategy as 'managed irresolution,' where Tehran maintains permanent negotiations to extract sanctions relief without committing to binding constraints. The author highlights a recent dual-text proposal where Persian and English versions differed significantly regarding uranium enrichment rights, illustrating Iran's deceptive tactics. Furthermore, the article criticizes the US for ignoring the Iranian population, citing significant civilian casualties from recent protests. Biglari asserts that Iran exploits the US political cycle, waiting out American administrations while consolidating regime power. The piece suggests that current talks in Islamabad are merely a performance, with real decision-making power residing with IRGC commanders in Tehran rather than the diplomatic delegates. Ultimately, the author warns that unless the US recognizes these dynamics and stops treating the regime's survival tactics as genuine diplomacy, it will continue to fail in achieving meaningful outcomes.
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Iran's Strategic Deception in Nuclear Negotiations with the US
In this opinion piece, Hamid Biglari argues that the United States is repeating historical errors in its negotiations with Iran. He contends that Washington mistakenly views Iranian officials like Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as moderates, when they are actually hard-liners using tactical flexibility to preserve the Islamic Republic. Biglari identifies Iran's core strategy as 'managed irresolution,' where Tehran maintains permanent negotiations to extract sanctions relief without committing to binding constraints. The author highlights a recent dual-text proposal where Persian and English versions differed significantly regarding uranium enrichment rights, illustrating Iran's deceptive tactics. Furthermore, the article criticizes the US for ignoring the Iranian population, citing significant civilian casualties from recent protests. Biglari asserts that Iran exploits the US political cycle, waiting out American administrations while consolidating regime power. The piece suggests that current talks in Islamabad are merely a performance, with real decision-making power residing with IRGC commanders in Tehran rather than the diplomatic delegates. Ultimately, the author warns that unless the US recognizes these dynamics and stops treating the regime's survival tactics as genuine diplomacy, it will continue to fail in achieving meaningful outcomes.
ashingtonpost