Using delay tactics, Iran turns US negotiations into prolonged waiting game - opinion

Iran's Foreign Ministry claims progress in negotiations but dismisses claims of an imminent agreement, citing U.S. "institutionalized vacillation" and "conflicting viewpoints" as disruptions.

The article contends that this statement reveals Iran's strategy of engaging in a "non-deal" through calculated delay tactics. It criticizes U.S. President Donald Trump for not yet delivering on promises to the Iranian people, despite outlining clear, non-negotiable demands.

“

The fact that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the topics under discussion is correct. However, to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent, no one can make such a claim.

These demands include Iran agreeing to never develop nuclear weapons, ceasing 60%-enriched uranium production, opening the Strait of Hormuz for free international passage, and clearing mines in the waterway. The author asserts these points have remained consistent, questioning Iran's narrative of U.S. ambiguity.

The author, writing from the Middle East, views Iran's approach as a deliberate game of "buying more time" through feigned ignorance and ambiguity. This tactic is likened to the protracted and arduous process of purchasing a Persian rug, suggesting it's a deeply ingrained cultural method of negotiation that is unlikely to be swayed by conventional tactics.

“

Policymaking and decision-making in the US are suffering from a kind of institutionalized vacillation. The repeated changes in positions – within a matter of hours, you are faced with different, often contradictory and conflicting viewpoints. This disrupts the process of any negotiation.