The United States and Iran are engaged in a new round of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. This is good for the United States. Settling the proliferation issue and reducing tensions with Iran in general is important to create the conditions necessary for the U.S. to make a long-overdue pivot from the Middle East to Asia, a top priority for Trump as it was for his predecessors.
The big issue now is whether the Trump administration can effectively pull it off. To that end, the main hurdle facing the administration might be itself.
There’s a battle inside the Trump administration between those with reasonable ideas about stopping Iranian proliferation through diplomacy and others pressing maximalist demands likely to kill a deal and increase hostility. President Trump needs to keep siding with the reasonable voices and follow his dealmaking instincts.
Author
Events on Iran
