Opinion | The Iranian Negotiating Tactic the Trump Administration Doesn’t Get

“sanctions have never made the clerical regime abandon its nuclear ambitions. During Trump’s first term, his “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign did real damage to Iran’s economy. Iran didn’t, however, concede its atomic assets.”

” Obama’s more friendly outreach only made progress after Washington made a key concession — Iran’s “right” to enrich uranium. The Americans also made a second key concession: allowing Iran to retain a substantial nuclear infrastructure, which could ramp back up at any time. Ali Salehi, the MIT-educated nuclear engineer who was probably the mastermind behind Iran’s dual-use import network, loved the Obama agreement because it would guarantee the Islamic Republic a more advanced, better-financed atomic program that it could grow in the open. It was Obama’s permissive terms much more than the promised financial relief that induced the theocracy to sign the 2015 accord.”

” Along the way, the clerical regime might agree to dilute its stock of 60 percent-enriched uranium, which is near weapons-grade, or even cap enrichment at a lower level. It would be a flashy concession that won’t fundamentally affect the complexion or the trajectory of Tehran’s nuclear program. The mullahs know that what matters most are protecting its new generation of centrifuges. With much greater efficiency and speed, these machines can enrich uranium to bomb-grade and can be housed in small facilities that are harder to detect.”

“Even a stringent inspection regime, unless supported by a well-placed human-intelligence network, would find locating these centrifuges an excruciatingly difficult task.”

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/04/19/iran-nuclear-talks-trump-00299466

Trump May Be Triggering the Fastest Nuclear Weapons Race Since the Cold War

“Trump has been obsessed with preventing a nuclear holocaust since he was a bumptious boy builder back in the 1980s. Back then Trump reportedly proposed, with typical grandiosity, that if President Ronald Reagan appointed him “plenipotentiary ambassador” he would end the Cold War “within one hour.””

“the nations considering going nuclear are longtime U.S. allies, from Germany to South Korea, Japan to Saudi Arabia. Faced with the threat of U.S. withdrawal from its defense commitments, more and more countries are now openly talking about embracing the bomb — and just as worrisome, actually deploying nukes if hostilities break out.”

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/04/11/trump-says-he-fears-nuclear-weapons-so-why-is-he-making-them-more-popular-00278790

Towards a New Nuclear Arms Race? Putin, the Breakdown of Nuclear Treaty Limits & MIRVs

Nuclear weapons are on the rise–more of them, more dangerous ones, more advanced ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSnZLWjOkHU

North Korean Military Capabilities & Strategy – Nukes, Numbers & (bad) Economics

North Korea has been showing no signs of serious negotiation with the U.S. or South Korea. They are not interested and want to develop their military capabilities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoVYMBqNKa8

Towards a New Nuclear Arms Race? Putin, the Breakdown of Nuclear Treaty Limits & MIRVs

Towards a New Nuclear Arms Race? Putin, the Breakdown of Nuclear Treaty Limits & MIRVs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSnZLWjOkHU

Israel expands offensive in Lebanon, is Israel nuclear? | Battle Lines Podcast

One international relations game resulted in Iran and Israel nuking each other.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cx3z4bElRk

Russia Is Changing Its Nuclear Doctrine – Atomic Coercion, Ukraine & the Nuclear Threshold

Russia’s nuclear doctrine change makes their use of nuclear weapons more likely, but the factors that make nuclear use a poor choice still exist, so their use is still unlikely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7aUoEnVCWQ