Nuclear talks to resume despite disruption
By Hassan Beheshtipour
International relations expert
The notion that the postponement of the fourth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the US spells the collapse of negotiations is wide of the mark. If the talks had truly been called off or put on ice for good, such an interpretation might hold water, but that is simply not the case. It appears that the Americans have played a double game from the outset, ramping up both threats and sanctions while still keeping the door open to negotiations. From the standpoint of international relations and the rules of engagement, it is not possible to sit down at the table with a counterpart while simultaneously issuing threats, assuming this aggressive tone will wring out more concessions.
This kind of approach is straight out of President Donald Trump’s political logic and his brazen team, who have often thrown out the rulebook when it comes to the norms of international diplomacy.
Such behavior has not been limited to Iran, but even against long-standing allies like Canada. For instance, Trump brazenly suggested that Canada, despite being larger than the US, should be folded into the United States as a state, and he scrapped NAFTA during his first term in favor of a new deal with Mexico.
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