US-Iranian negotiations are a performative tug-of-war over who blinks first episode artwork

EPISODE · May 28, 2026 · 11 MIN

US-Iranian negotiations are a performative tug-of-war over who blinks first

from The Turbulent World with James M. Dorsey · host James M. Dorsey

US-Iranian negotiations to end the Iran war have evolved into a performative tug-of-war over who has the longer breath rather than an all-out effort to resolve differences, given that neither US President Donald Trump nor Iran wants a full resumption of hostilities. Mr. Trump admitted as much during this week’s public Cabinet meeting that resembled a sycophantic choir praising the conductor. The meeting enabled Mr. Trump to showcase his perceived achievements and shore up support for his desperate search for an off-ramp that would allow him to declare victory in the war credibly and would justify his 2018 abrogation of the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear programme. The abrogation put the United States on a slippery slope, facilitated by President Joe Biden during his interregnum between the two Trump administrations, that ended up in the February 28 US-Israeli assault on Iran.

US-Iranian negotiations to end the Iran war have evolved into a performative tug-of-war over who has the longer breath rather than an all-out effort to resolve differences, given that neither US President Donald Trump nor Iran wants a full resumption of hostilities. Mr. Trump admitted as much during this week’s public Cabinet meeting that resembled a sycophantic choir praising the conductor. The meeting enabled Mr. Trump to showcase his perceived achievements and shore up support for his desperate search for an off-ramp that would allow him to declare victory in the war credibly and would justify his 2018 abrogation of the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear programme. The abrogation put the United States on a slippery slope, facilitated by President Joe Biden during his interregnum between the two Trump administrations, that ended up in the February 28 US-Israeli assault on Iran.

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US-Iranian negotiations are a performative tug-of-war over who blinks first

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US-Iranian negotiations to end the Iran war have evolved into a performative tug-of-war over who has the longer breath rather than an all-out effort to resolve differences, given that neither US President Donald Trump nor Iran wants a full...

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