Iranian management in the face of Trump’s America
By Ebrahim Beheshti
Staff writer
In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, various analyses have been penned about the future policies of the United States in West Asia. The fate of the Gaza and Lebanon conflicts, as well as the quality of engagement with Iran, have been two pressing issues that have taken center stage in these analyses. In Iran, different views have been floated regarding how to engage with the Trump administration, ranging from recalling the assassination of General Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, on Trump’s orders, to calls for a new approach and dialogue with the new US government.
Despite this, by parsing the stances of Iranian government officials, we can glean some insight into what the Rouhani administration has in mind when it comes to dealing with Trump’s America. The United States’ presence in West Asia and its cordial relations with many regional governments, particularly its strategic ties with the Israeli regime, are realities that Iranian analysts, officials, and decision-makers cannot afford to turn a blind eye to.
Furthermore, Iran and the US have a long and checkered history, which culminated in the signing of the nuclear deal in 2015, along with China, Russia, the UK, France, and Germany. Although Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018, the JCPOA remains intact, backed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231. It’s no stretch to say that the top priority that could be on the table for both sides is an agreement on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.
During his election campaign, Trump repeatedly flagged his main concern about Iran as preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons. After the election results were announced, Brian Hook, who served as the US special representative for Iran in Trump’s previous administration, stated that Trump has no intention of regime change in Iran.
Page 8