The Trump administration's renewed interest in negotiating with Iran might seem unexpected. After years of aggressive sanctions and maximum-pressure policies, a return to the diplomatic table appears to signal a shift.
But when assessed realistically, there may be no other peaceful way to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions. The alternative is war, and no one should want that.
A diplomatic solution is the right step forward, so long as the deal is strict, verifiable, and avoids the fatal flaws of past agreements.
But diplomacy alone isn't enough. If the goal is a real, lasting solution, then the U.S. must also support Iran's people — those risking everything to stand up to a regime that thrives on fear and bloodshed.
Iran's nuclear program has been a problem for decades, but today, it's entering dangerous territory. Experts say Iran is enriching uranium at 84% purity and is weeks away from weapons-grade levels.
Past efforts to contain this threat — especially the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — failed because they focused on delay, not dismantlement. Sunset clauses built directly into the JCPOA gave Tehran a green light to pursue a bomb later, with international approval.
Ramesh Sepehrrad, a leading Iranian-American scholar and head of the Organization of Iranian-American Communities (OIAC), said it plainly: "Sunset clauses are a death sentence. They gave Iran a schedule to build a bomb with international approval."
Worse, Iran never negotiated in good faith.
Sepehrrad explained, "This regime doesn't want a deal. It wants a bomb."
Talks, she added, are just a stalling tactic designed to buy time while continuing enrichment behind closed doors.
Several nuclear facilities, including some in Semnan, were never disclosed by the regime or found by the U.N. They were exposed by Iranian opposition groups like the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), operating at great personal risk.
So, yes, negotiation is necessary. But only under one condition: It must be used to dismantle, not to delay.
As Dr. Majid Sadeghpour, OIAC's political director, put it: "We should demand a complete dismantling of the regime's entire nuclear program, especially uranium enrichment, and activate the snapback mechanism so that U.N. Security Council resolutions can be reimplemented."
Yet focusing only on uranium misses the broader threat.
The nuclear program is just a symptom. The root cause is the regime itself — a brutal dictatorship that rules through fear.
"This regime fears its own people more than it fears any foreign military," Sepehrrad said.
The U.S. cannot ignore the courage of Iranians who rise up in the face of such repression.
Many are jailed. Many are killed.
Yet they persist.
Dr. Sadeghpour knows this all too well.
His brother was executed by the regime. Other family members were tortured.
"I first hand saw what the regime did to the people of Iran — Muslims and non-Muslims alike," he said.
Inside Iran, resistance is already growing. Teachers, students, workers — everyday Iranians — have formed small resistance units across the country.
As Dr. Sadeghpour described: "The boots on the ground are already in Iran.
"They have the right to overthrow this regime. They have the right to confront the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]."
The Iranian resistance doesn't ask for money or weapons. What its members want is recognition — the simple acknowledgment that their fight is legitimate.
As NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi has said: "We do not need weapons or money. What we need is for the United States to recognize the Iranian people's right to overthrow this regime."
Recognition matters.
For too long, Western leaders have tried to "stabilize" the region by making deals with the regime itself. But every concession — every dollar released through sanctions relief or oil sales — ends up fueling terror.
Groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis are not independent militias.
"They are arms of the IRGC and Quds Force," Sepehrrad said.
"If you want to stop terrorism in the Middle East, start with Tehran. It's the command center."
The Trump administration has a rare opportunity to open a new path — one that learns from the past and listens to the people.
Any future deal must eliminate enrichment, guarantee full transparency, and punish violations automatically. But most importantly, it must stand with the Iranian people.
The path to a safer Middle East doesn't begin in Vienna or Geneva. It begins in the streets of Tehran, where ordinary Iranians continue to fight for freedom.
The U.S. should negotiate, but never forget where the real hope lies.
Gregory Lyakhov is a young advocate for Israel. His work has been published in the New York Post, The Jerusalem Post, and several other Jewish media outlets. He's also appeared on "Fox & Friends" to discuss key issues. Read More of Gregory Lyakhov's Reports — Here.
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