President Donald Trump recently dismissed claims he’s anxious to end the Iran war, insisting on Truth Social that he’s “possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position” and has “all the time in the World.” If only. Trump and his aides could use some more time to think through what they want to accomplish in discussions with Tehran’s Islamist regime. The administration’s preparations for launching the war were … not great, and its negotiating efforts so far have underwhelmed. Ending the war — and keeping it ended — is almost certain to prove more complicated than Trump aides suspect. The administration has a number of fundamental questions to sort through, people who have dealt with Tehran in the past tell me. That won’t be easy given the president’s rhetorical waffling. “The details are incredibly important,” said Michael Singh, a former George W. Bush administration official who dealt with the Middle East. “Each new administration has to learn those details the hard way. The Iranians on other hand are often the same or similar teams who have negotiated these terms with multiple American administrations. You may receive what you think is a concession by the Iranians, but when you delve into it, it’s a concession from you to Iran.” I’m still not convinced Trump is ready to genuinely commit to diplomacy with Iran, despite the ongoing ceasefire. He loves using military force and knows that Iran remains the weaker side, even as both the U.S. and Iran wrestle over the fate of the Strait of Hormuz. But at some point, the global economic fallout that is hurting both Americans’ wallets and the country's reputation may force Trump to the negotiating table. If he decides to take a serious shot at talks to end the war, the first critical question Trump needs to answer is: Is he prepared to agree to a deal that ultimately leaves the Islamist regime in place? This is anathema to many Iranians who want an end to a regime that has long brutalized them. It could be intolerable for Israel and some Arab states who view Tehran as the root of many Middle East ills. Despite Trump’s occasional specious claims that he’s already changed the regime, it's clear the U.S.-Israel military attacks have failed to dislodge the Islamist system. Iranian citizens didn’t stage an uprising amid the bombing. And given Iran’s demonstrated willingness to… [TheTopNews] Read More.
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