It is, at once, a time of great hope and great despair for anyone who wants U.S.-Iranian relations to improve. On the one hand, delegations from each country met in person last weekend for the first time in a decade, and they negotiated through the night in hopes of forging a lasting peace settlement. The leaders for each country’s team were not diplomats but powerful politicians—U.S. Vice Preside...
The narrative presents a nuanced but ultimately optimistic view of U.S.-Iran relations, emphasizing the potential for diplomacy despite deep-seated conflicts. The strongest version of this argument acknowledges the gravity of recent hostilities—including the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign and Iran’s resilience—while highlighting the unprecedented direct negotiations as a sign of progress. However, the analysis risks underplaying the structural barriers to compromise, such as the U.S. blockade of ...