Every American president hopes he will be the one to solve the Iran problem through diplomacy. So far, none has succeeded.Now, President Donald Trump appears to be considering another agreement with Tehran. Before Washington celebrates a diplomatic breakthrough, it should remember a simple lesson: The Islamic Republic has spent decades using negotiations not to resolve crises, but to outlast them.For Tehran, diplomacy is often less about compromise than survival. When sanctions bite, it talks. When military pressure rises, it negotiates. When its economy weakens, it seeks relief. The goal is not necessarily to reach a lasting solution. The goal is to gain time.
TRUMP’S ISRAEL HYPOCRISY: RULES FOR THEE BUT NOT FOR ME
That is why Trump should be careful not to repeat former President Barack Obama’s Iran mistake.
Supporters of renewed negotiations argue that any agreement is preferable to conflict. After years of instability in the Middle East, that argument is understandable. Americans are tired of wars, and few want to see another military confrontation in the region.
But avoiding a crisis today only to face a larger one tomorrow is not a strategy.
