"Serious talks are on between US, Iran but they are running into challenges," says expert
New Delhi, May 30
Foreign Affairs Expert Robinder Sachdev said that although there are serious talks going on between the US and Iran, they are at loggerheads on issues like enriched Uranium and the Strait of Hormuz.
Sachdev said that negotiations between America and Iran are becoming very serious but they are running into challenges.
"The negotiations between America and Iran are becoming very serious, but they are running into challenges in solving this jigsaw puzzle. Some pieces of this puzzle cannot be moved. For Iran, they insist that uranium cannot be sent out of the country. For America, the price Donald Trump wants is drums full of uranium dust on the Tehran airport tarmac, ready for an American Air Force cargo plane to take away. These two positions are currently irreconcilable," he told ANI.
Sachdev highlighted that Iran wants peace in Lebanon as well and unfreezing of its funds.
"Beyond the uranium issue, there are several other demands. Iran is asking for a durable peace, including in Lebanon, as well as sanctions relief and the unfreezing of its funds. Conversely, America is demanding that the uranium be removed, that there be no more enrichment for a specified number of years, and that Iran's ballistic missile program be downgraded or bound up," he said.
Sachdev further stated that the US has failed to unlock the 'Hormuzian claw'.
"The problem is that while these were all issues before, a "super weapon" has now emerged: the "Hormuzian claw." The Strait of Hormuz was not used as a weapon before the war, but it has since been tried and tested. Despite America using bombs and economic blockades, neither America nor Israel has been able to "unlock" this claw. This has become a paramount issue, and it does not look like the Strait of Hormuz will open up in the coming days," he said.
Sachdev said that even if all of these issues are sorted, Iranians, in a bid to have the upper hand, will take the deal to their Supreme Leader, and he would take a few days to revert.
"Even if Trump agrees to a deal, the Iranians may play another game. They can claim they need to take the final deal to the Supreme Leader for approval. This allows them to stretch the process out for several more days, as the Supreme Leader is in a secret location and does not reply immediately. By doing this, the Iranians keep America waiting and establish that they have the upper hand in negotiations," he said.
Sachdev's comments come as US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said, "Any deal that the President is willing to make--he's only going to make it if he believes it is a GREAT deal for our country and for the security of the world. Only one president was willing to lay it on the line and ensure that, after forty-seven years, Iran is not capable of having a nuclear weapon."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an outsider looking in, this is fascinating geopolitics. The Iranian stance on not sending uranium out makes sense from a sovereignty perspective—they've seen what happened to Libya. But the US demand for "uranium dust on the tarmac" seems deliberately unrealistic. Trump wants a photo-op win, not a sustainable deal. Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz leverage gives Iran immense power. It's a chess match where both sides are trying to outlast the other.
Honestly, the US has been playing this game since 1979 and keeps getting outmaneuvered by Iran. The "Supreme Leader delay tactic" mentioned by Sachdev is classic Iranian diplomatic style—they buy time to strengthen their hand. And look at the results: 47 years later, Iran is closer to a nuclear weapon than ever before! Meanwhile, Israel keeps bombing Syrian airports, but nobody's talking about the bigger picture. India needs to maintain strategic autonomy in this mess. We trade with both sides, and picking one could hurt our interests.
I have a question for the experts here: If Iran really wanted a deal, why are they playing these games with the Supreme Leader? Seems like they're just buying time to complete their nuclear program, no? Remember, Iran has historically used negotiations as a shield. The JCPOA took years, and now we're back to square one. India should push for a multilateral framework rather than letting US and Iran dictate terms that affect the whole region.
Why are we even surprised? America's track record with Iran shows they can't be trusted. They pulled out of JCPOA, killed Soleimani, and now expect Iran to just hand over uranium? Respectfully, that's naive. The Strait of Hormuz is Iran's only real leverage—why would they give that up without serious concessions? Meanwhile, India is stuck
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.