Washington, D.C. – National Iranian American Council (NIAC) President Jamal Abdi has released the following statement regarding the Trump administration’s saber rattling toward Iran, the U.S. decision to bomb Houthi strongholds in Yemen and the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza:
“The risks of regional war are once again surging with the apparent rupture of the ceasefire in Gaza by Israel, the U.S. bombardment of Houthi rebel forces in Yemen, and escalating rhetoric and tensions with Iran. Prospects for U.S.-Iran diplomacy that once appeared hopeful are now in danger as neither side is doing what it takes to get to the negotiating table. The military threats coming from President Trump and the maximalist demands being issued by members of his administration, combined with rhetoric from Supreme Leader Khamenei and Iranian officials rejecting engagement, only makes a disastrous war more likely.
“President Trump’s statements threatening Iran amid U.S. strikes in Yemen targeting Houthis and warnings of ‘dire’ consequences only provide ammunition to those in Iran opposed to diplomacy. While the President likely thinks this kind of language helps him in negotiations and reflects well domestically, this rhetoric will likely only harden Khamenei’s resistance to engaging under threat. Likewise, the demands from officials like National Security Adviser Mike Waltz suggesting Iran must surrender its entire nuclear program and significant conventional capabilities in any negotiation are nonstarters for Tehran that undercut President Trump’s important prior pronouncements that he is squarely focused on ensuring no Iranian nuclear weapon. That position could get Trump and Iran to the negotiating table, but instead the administration is deploying rhetoric that validates and further empowers those in Tehran who say diplomacy is a trap.
“This all begs the question as to whether the Trump Administration is sabotaging its own policy in order to take diplomacy off the table and make Israeli military strikes, which will entangle the U.S., more likely. We know many members of the administration favor pressure and military action and have spent their careers opposing a negotiated solution with Iran. This is contrary to what Trump himself has repeatedly said is his strong desire to resolve the nuclear standoff diplomatically and is just the latest example of how entrenched pro-war figures ensure there is a through-line of hawkish, pro-war policies — no matter if there is a Democrat or a Republican in the White House.
“We believed that Trump may have been able to buck pro-war interests, but it is starting to look like the neocons will prevail against peace once again. President Trump had helped cool regional tensions initially by investing in diplomacy early and forcing Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal that saw hostages freed and a brief respite in the fighting. His message on the campaign trail favoring diplomacy and opposing war with Iran was smart and disciplined. Yet, not more than two months since taking office, the President finds himself once again deeply enmeshed in the conflicts of the region, playing the very same cards that the Biden administration played and expecting a different outcome.
“If Trump is serious about diplomacy and wants to get to the negotiating table rather than be dragged into a new forever war by Israel, he needs to lower the temperature and ensure his administration addresses the barriers preventing engagement rather than enlarging them. Those barriers are not a lack of tension and threats, they are the lack of trust in each sides’ intentions and ability to make good on promises. While we are concerned by Tehran’s rebuffing of diplomatic entreaties following the reimposition of maximum pressure, we believe that if Trump shifts tactics back to focusing less on bluster and threats and more on demonstrating good faith and realistic interests – as he did prior to the reimposition of maximum pressure – there is still hope for the sides to meet in negotiations rather than on the battlefield.”
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