Washington, DC – Ryan Costello, Policy Director of the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement regarding reports that President Trump asked Russia to mediate with Iran on the nuclear stand-off and other tensions between the U.S. and Iran:
“Anyone who has watched tensions build between the U.S. and Iran since 2018 knows that the current trendlines lead to war and proliferation, and that mediation is urgently necessary to get the parties to the negotiating table. That Russia has been tapped by President Trump to serve as an intermediary between the U.S. and Iran is not surprising, and could help prevent an early impasse between the two parties from solidifying.
“Opportunities for negotiations have proven fleeting between the U.S. and Iran, so it is urgent that they seize this moment to prevent an escalation toward conflict.“Of course, both sides have reason to distrust Russia as a possible mediator. Iran will know that Russia will look after its own interests first rather than Iran’s, while the Trump administration is still seeking a peace agreement to halt the brutal war initiated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Yet, there is also significant upside for Russia as a mediator. Russia has mediated between the U.S. and Iran before, including during the Biden administration, and Russia has significant nuclear knowledge and direct insight into elements of Iran’s program. Transatlantic relations between Europe and the United States have also dramatically soured since President Trump has shifted America’s stance toward the war in Ukraine, diminishing Europe’s ability to coordinate with Trump on a separate issue of significant international importance. By contrast, Vladimir Putin appears to have a working relationship with President Trump.
“Both parties should seize this as an opportunity to signal their bottom lines in negotiations and what is necessary to jumpstart a successful process. Iran has clearly signaled that it will not negotiate as the Trump administration escalates its so-called ‘maximum pressure’ campaign, and there is still lack of clarity from the U.S. on what it expects the scope of talks to be. Dialing back pressure to allow space for possible negotiations seems like a clear next step which can be coordinated through Russia or other mediators. We urge the U.S. and Iran to do so and not let the window for negotiations shut.”
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