The Re-run Dealmaker: Deja Vu on Iran Talks
When the US President declares he'll be "indirectly" involved in Iran nuclear talks, the mainstream press, predictably, treats it as fresh news. The narrative presented is one of presidential influence, adding another layer of complexity to high-stakes negotiations in Geneva. One might even imagine this adds leverage, a certain gravitas to the proceedings, a new play just opened. Yet, this isn't a
new play at all. This is a rerun, a political pantomime we've seen before. Back in 2005, then-President George W. Bush publicly dismissed European efforts to negotiate with Iran, calling for a tougher stance, a move that effectively sabotaged nascent diplomatic breakthroughs and paved the way for heightened tensions. Fast forward to 2018, and this very same president unilaterally withdrew from the
painstakingly negotiated Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), despite IAEA reports confirming Iran's compliance, crippling Iran with "maximum pressure" sanctions. The outcome then, as now, was to create a void, not a solution, forcing Iran to strengthen its domestic capabilities while enriching uranium to 60%, a stark increase from the 3.67% allowed under the JCPOA. The pattern is clear:
public interference, particularly from a US president, in sensitive diplomatic overtures with countries deemed adversaries, often does not strengthen negotiations but rather undermines them, presenting an impossible set of demands while simultaneously refusing engagement. It's a tactic designed not to achieve compromise, but to collapse the process, thereby justifying more aggressive measures for