MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump is not interested in negotiating with Iran; instead, he plans to wage a hybrid war, impose additional sanctions, and escalate anti-Iran propaganda. Consequently, Tehran should engage with Washington only from a position of strength, according to Iranian political scientist and security specialist Professor Ruhollah Modabber, who spoke to TASS.
"Trump is not genuinely interested in negotiations with Iran. He aims to maximize the benefits of increasing pressure on Tehran. In the current situation, the only viable strategy for Iran is to demonstrate strength and mitigate the effects of maximum US pressure by cooperating with friendly nations, such as Russia," Modabber explained.
He noted that "the executive order aimed at reinstating the policy of maximum pressure on Iran is designed to provide the US with unprecedented advantages in negotiations with Tehran."
"Trump will utilize tools of hybrid military confrontation against Iran, implement comprehensive sanctions, and launch a broad subversive propaganda campaign. Should a direct US military confrontation with Iran occur, potentially involving Israel, it could be extensive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is eager to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, among other targets," Professor Modabber warned.
"When Trump talks about acquiring control over the Gaza Strip, Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal, or when he renames the Gulf of Mexico as the American Gulf, it underscores his obsession with the idea of a unipolar world and his intention to exert maximum pressure on other countries. The US is not a trustworthy partner. Negotiations with that country should only occur from a position of strength," Modabber asserted.
In his view, "the illusions held by Western supporters within Iran, along with their naivety toward the West - particularly its hostility towards Russia - have frequently led to missteps in the country's foreign policy."
"Trump has claimed to be favorably disposed toward the Iranian people, yet he has taken no practical steps to negotiate with the Iranian government in recent months. Through the Western media, he has fostered the misconception that Tehran should acquiesce to Washington, while in reality, he intends to pursue a hostile policy. Ultimately, the West's supporters in Iran have been misled," the analyst concluded.
On February 4, Trump signed an executive order to restore maximum US pressure on Iran, which includes intensified efforts to reduce Iranian oil exports. Simultaneously, he mentioned the possibility of meeting with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian in an attempt to strike a "great deal" with Tehran.