Iran's ruling regime is once again resorting to its most effective survival strategy: pretending to be open to negotiations. As expected, Tehran has responded to President Donald J. Trump by expressing willingness to engage in talks, sort of: indirectly.
This move should not be mistaken for a sign of goodwill or a genuine desire to resolve tensions. Instead, it is a calculated attempt to buy time, deceive the West, and accelerate the regime's nuclear program.
Iran is at one of its weakest points. It has suffered significant losses on multiple fronts, from the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria to the degradation at the hands of Israel of its most powerful proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Iran's economy is crumbling, and its currency has hit historic lows. These vulnerabilities have left the regime desperate, afraid, and resorting the same strategy it has used time and again: entering negotiations to stall for time, while continuing to advance its nuclear weapons program.
This is the moment for the West to be increasing pressure on Iran, not giving it breathing room through negotiations. By extending an invitation for talks, however, the U.S. and its allies are doing exactly what the regime wants — giving it time to regroup and plot its next moves.
The West needs to recognize the intentions of Iran's rulers. The regime has made it clear that it has no plans to abandon its nuclear or ballistic missile programs. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has openly stated that Libya's Muammar Gaddafi made a fatal mistake by giving up his nuclear program. Iran's ruling mullahs will not repeat that mistake.
Each time Iran's regime finds itself under pressure, it calls for talks. The goal, however, is never to reach a real agreement. The goal is to delay. Immediately after Trump was elected, Iran quickly reached out to France, Germany and the UK, offering to discuss its nuclear program. This move was about preventing the U.S. from taking action against it. Iran was able to shift the narrative, by gaining sympathy from European nations that do business with it and are therefore more hesitant to take aggressive action.
Tehran knows that once talks begin, the focus will shift from its nuclear violations to the negotiation process. This gives the regime heaps of time to further its nuclear weapons program while diplomats engage in discussions that lead nowhere.
No negotiation with the Islamic Republic of Iran has ever led to a lasting, constructive result. Instead, all negotiations have enabled the mullahs to manipulate the international community under the guise of diplomacy.
Iran is also doubtless counting on its powerful allies, China and Russia, both of which are most likely willing to provide Tehran with the technology and resources needed to complete its nuclear weapons.
This is why negotiations are not just a bad idea — they are a direct threat to international security. Talks give Iran the time it needs to complete its nuclear weapons. Every day spent negotiating is a day this dangerous regime moves closer to achieving its ultimate goal.
There is only one way, unfortunately, to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons: take out the installations and infrastructure of the country's nuclear program. The world cannot afford to make the same mistake it did with North Korea, which used negotiations to stall until it successfully developed nuclear bombs.
Sadly, there is no diplomatic path that will induce Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Waiting will only make a future military strike more difficult and costly.
This is not the time to sit, even "indirectly," at a table with Iran. It is the time to recognize the regime's deception and act. Every moment in talks is a moment wasted -- before the world wakes up to the nightmare of a nuclear-armed Iran.
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, is a political scientist, Harvard-educated analyst, and board member of Harvard International Review. He has authored several books on the US foreign policy. He can be reached at dr.rafizadeh@post.harvard.edu
