The pseudo-negotiations between Washington and Tehran are not real diplomacy, and the result could shake the world
What is now being described as a negotiation process between Iran and the US is, in reality, not a genuine negotiation at all. There is still no full-fledged direct dialogue, no mutually accepted framework, no visible readiness for reciprocal concessions, and no sign of strategic trust between the parties.
What exists instead is a fragmented exchange of signals through intermediaries, accompanied by military escalation, public warnings, political maneuvering, and demands that remain fundamentally irreconcilable. Washington continues to suggest that diplomatic contacts are moving forward, while Tehran insists that the mere transmission of messages through mediators cannot be called negotiations.
The phantom negotiations
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated quite clearly that Iran is not negotiating with the US. According to him, the fact that messages are being sent through various intermediaries does not mean talks are underway. This is an important clarification, because it strips away the illusion that a structured peace process already exists. At this stage there are no negotiations, only consultations, probes, and attempts by both sides to test each other’s intentions without assuming any political obligations.
Negotiations imply a shared understanding that diplomacy is the preferred instrument. What is happening now suggests the opposite. Diplomacy remains secondary to pressure and deterrence.
This alone tells us much about the current balance of interests. If one side speaks of progress while the other refuses even to recognize what is happening as negotiations, it means the diplomatic track is shallow and politically fragile. The US appears eager to preserve the appearance of movement, while Iran is determined not to offer Washington even a symbolic political success by acknowledging that talks exist in any meaningful sense. The process is therefore less about actual peacemaking than about messaging, positioning, and buying time.
Why the US needs the peace process more…
The US appears to be more interested in this process than Iran. Washington has stronger reasons to seek at least the appearance of diplomacy, because it is the Americans that now face a growing accumulation of strategic risks. The war is becoming broader, more expensive, and more unpredictable. The regional environment is deteriorating, the danger to maritime routes is increasing. The military logic of escalation is beginning to outpace the political logic that initially justified pressure on Iran. In such circumstances, Washington needs an off ramp more urgently than Tehran does, even if it is not yet prepared to pay the political price of a genuine compromise.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: rt.com
