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America has spent over a decade attempting to negotiate with the Islamic Republic of Iran. From Obama’s JCPOA to Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign and now renewed talks under Trump’s second term, the pattern remains: Iran makes promises it doesn’t keep, while the U.S. oscillates between diplomacy and sanctions.
Washington still doesn’t grasp the fundamental truth: the mullahs don’t keep promises—except those made to Allah.
The JCPOA: Hope and Delusion
In 2015, President Obama hailed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a landmark deal to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The agreement imposed limitations on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. However, critics argued that the deal failed to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional influence. Moreover, the deal’s sunset clauses meant that key restrictions would expire over time, potentially allowing Iran to resume its nuclear activities legally.
While Obama flew pallets of cash to Tehran in the dark, Iran was busy funding Hezbollah, arming Hamas, and butchering Syrians through the Quds Force.
Trump’s Exit and Pressure Campaign
In 2018, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA, citing its shortcomings and Iran’s continued support for militant groups in the Middle East. The administration reimposed sanctions, aiming to pressure Iran into negotiating a more comprehensive deal. While this approach significantly impacted Iran’s economy, it also led Tehran to resume uranium enrichment beyond JCPOA limits, bringing it closer to weapons-grade levels.
Biden’s Attempted Revival
President Biden initially signaled a willingness to return to the JCPOA, but negotiations stalled over disagreements on sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear activities. Iran demanded the lifting of all sanctions before complying with the deal’s terms, while the U.S. insisted on Iran’s compliance first. This impasse, coupled with Iran’s continued nuclear advancements, rendered the deal’s revival increasingly unlikely.
Trump’s Second Term: A Policy in Whiplash
Now, in Trump’s second term, the signals are scrambled. After running on a platform of toughness, the administration has stunned observers by floating new talks with Iran—even sending a personal message to Supreme Leader Khamenei through unofficial channels.
Trump’s special envoy for Iran, Steve Witkoff—a real estate attorney with no diplomatic background—has been accused of alienating allies, delivering mixed messages, and failing to define a coherent strategy. One day it’s “let’s sit down and talk.” The next, Iran faces new rounds of sanctions or veiled military threats.
Just recently, Iran accused the U.S. of “contradictory behavior and provocative statements,” citing backchannel proposals followed immediately by Treasury sanctions on Iranian banks and officials.
Meanwhile, Trump himself stated in a campaign-style rally that “we will never let Iran go nuclear,” while his administration quietly signals openness to a “limited freeze” in exchange for sanctions relief.
The result? Strategic incoherence. Tehran smells weakness—and buys time.
The Core Issue: Iran’s Ideological DNA Is Anti-Western
The foundational mistake of every Western administration is this: they treat Iran as a normal state actor. It’s not.
The Islamic Republic is a revolutionary theocracy committed to exporting Shia jihad, not just regionally, but globally. This is not paranoia. This is stated doctrine, enshrined in their Constitution and reinforced daily in state media, sermons, and policy.
- Supreme Leader Khamenei has repeatedly called for “death to America” and insists that negotiations are merely a “tactic of war.”
- IRGC General Qassem Soleimani (killed in 2020) was responsible for arming militias that killed over 600 U.S. troops in Iraq using EFPs (explosively formed penetrators), according to Pentagon estimates.
- Iran funds Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis, and militias in Iraq and Syria—all designated terrorist organizations.
- In 2023, Iran-backed militias launched over 150 drone and rocket attacks on U.S. bases across the Middle East, injuring dozens of service members.
- The U.S. State Department has called Iran the world’s “leading state sponsor of terrorism” for decades—and with good reason.
Even now, as Trump officials posture toward diplomacy, Iran continues enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels, refuses IAEA inspections, and publicly threatens retaliation against Israel and the Gulf States.
Their promises at the negotiating table are taqiyya—the Islamic doctrine of religiously sanctioned deception, especially in dealings with non-Muslims.
Iran doesn’t compromise. It re-calibrates.
And in that time, it builds.
Conclusion: It Will Never Work
No agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran will ever succeed—not because of Western failure, but because of Islamic intent. The regime is ideologically committed to confrontation, to martyrdom, to the annihilation of Israel and the slow bleeding of American power.
Obama thought charm would work. Biden thought an apology would help. Trump tried sanctions, then sent envoys. The pattern is clear: they play for time, we play for headlines.
The United States must stop treating Iran like a misunderstood nation with grievances and start recognizing it for what it is: an ideological regime that seeks our collapse.
We don’t need a deal.
We need clarity.
Until the regime falls, no piece of paper signed in Vienna or Doha will stop Iran’s jihad.
Because the only agreement the mullahs honor is their pledge to Allah—and that pledge doesn’t include peace with infidels.
The Democ-Rats have blown it Big Time as they always do
It’s unbelievable that politicians could listen to the deranged rantings of
Iranian mullahs and observe how abominably they treat Iranian people,
especially women, based solely on 7th century beliefs – and still think
they are dealing with rational people. The Iranian leaders are plainly
religious fanatics.
Of course, not so unbelievable when one factors in powerful anti-Jew,
anti-Israel perspectives and the Globalist goal of destroying White,
Western civilization, including the Jewish state.
Agree totally with Cyrus’ article/explanation. ALL TRUE!!
Spot on article. Unfortunately, I don’t see the US taking a pre-emptive position. It’s always wait and see what happens, Ready, Set, Bang, Go!
Sometimes you have to way for the trap to close before killing the vermin or in other words Trump will try and negotiate, because the rest of the world want to see negotiations, but after it fails, then, I think it will be Israel or the USofA or both, who will destroy the threat!!!
Much of the disingenuous insidious jihad is based on the Islamic dogma called Taqiyya .This is the Islamic doctrine that lying and deception is a good thing to do as long as it’s done for the advancement of Islam. Therefore, Taqiyya would be engaged in by those Muslim despots in power in Iran in any ,so called “ negotiations with any of the United States government regarding nuclear weapons.
Since being the case ,If any US government official, takes a direct or Indirect talks with those fiendish ,dangerous dishonest insecure and outright liars who are those Islamic dictators of Iran .who are only stalling for time to further construct nuclear weapons, such “talks only lead to and in a disaster.
Were you writing about the mullahs or the Democrats?
If any US government official, takes a direct or Indirect talks with those fiendish ,dangerous disingenuous and outright liars who are those Islamic dictators of Iran .who are only stalling for time to further construct nuclear weapons, such “talks only lead to and in a disaster.
Israel is the new Constantinople. When Constantinople fell to the Moslem horde, it electrifide the Moslem world and accelerated Islam’s expansion. It will be the same if Israel falls to its Moslem enemies now. jd
Even fifty years later, under the rule of the mullahs and their army of miscreants, I suspect the majority of that land would prefer western living and a government that fostered freedom in lieu of Islam. Carter might as well have deposed the Shah himself, and Obama withheld support when an actual uprising was afoot to free Iran from the mullahs. Bush destabilized the neighboring autocracy that restrained Iranian influence in the Levant. Then Obama set them on a course to establish a nuclear arsenal. The folks who run the government of the United States have done poorly by the Iranian people. Tant pis!
One thing that I noticed from the article was that Islamic negotiators always seem to “go for broke” – ALL sanctions to be lifted, or, in the case of Israel, complete IDF withdrawal from Gaza. The Western negotiation model seems to be based more on identifying a halfway house – perhaps we should make our opening gambits as all-or-nothing as those of our opposite numbers. One reason for saying this, is that the Western approach to Islam is based on empathy, on the notion that we can arrive at a solution that is mutually acceptable – and sometimes on false equivalence, like thinking that Muslims experience their relationship with Allah as Christians or Jews look to YHWH – but there is no mutuality or empathy in the Islamic view of unbelievers, and YHWH and Allah are very different beings, especially as Allah is a created being who claims to be the Creator.
The Iranian mullahs want nuclear holocaust to bring forth the hidden Imam and have Islam conquer the world creating an Islamic caliphate to rule all people. They get a nuclear weapon they will use it. Their religious fanaticism demands it. There is no negotiation. We are fools to believe otherwise.