Kurt Volker to Newsmax: Iran Won't Make a Deal Until It's Defeated

Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, warned Monday on Newsmax that Iran will refuse diplomatic resolutions until its regime has been defeated, emphasizing Israel's ongoing military pressure to dismantle Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Volker told "The Record With Greta Van Susteren" that the Iranian regime will not agree to any diplomatic deal regarding its nuclear program until it is "actually defeated," underscoring the necessity of sustained, significant military and strategic pressure.

Volker's comments followed President Donald Trump's statement earlier Monday on Truth Social urging the immediate evacuation of Tehran. Trump wrote:

"Iran should have signed the 'deal' I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!"

Asked about Trump's urgent call for evacuation and its implications, Volker explained, "I think it is meant to be a signal to the Iranian regime that the U.S. is not going to get in Israel's way, that there will be more attacks coming, more bombings coming, potentially impacting civilian areas as well, which is unfortunate, and not what we would like to see."

Volker emphasized that Trump's dramatic language signals that the Iranian regime has no feasible way forward, suggesting that Israel's current military advantage is central to this strategic calculus.

Addressing potential outcomes and timelines, Volker projected, "Israel is in a position right now with the air superiority that they have — with the ability to strike Tehran and the military and nuclear facilities — that they're just going to continue to do this until the Iranian regime says, 'OK, we are prepared to give up all claims to having a nuclear program,' and that may take some time."

Volker highlighted the internal pressures faced by the Iranian government amid ongoing strikes, asserting that continuous military action could exacerbate domestic instability.

"The regime really wants to hold on. And without that nuclear program and with these kinds of attacks, I think they also face increasing pressure inside Iran," he said.

When pressed about why traditional diplomatic methods such as sanctions and pressure campaigns have failed to yield negotiations, Volker cited historical precedent to argue that a diplomatic breakthrough can occur only after outright defeat.

"If you look back to World War II, Germany was actually defeated. Japan was actually defeated," he explained. "Until someone is actually defeated, they're going to continue to fight, in part because they know there's no going back. They don't have another way out other than to continue to fight."

Drawing parallels to conflicts elsewhere, Volker further explained that groups such as Hamas persist because their leadership prioritizes retaining power over national or civilian interests, a dynamic he sees replicated by the Iranian regime.

"They're clinging to their power over Gaza, even though lots and lots of people are dying. Likewise, the Iranian regime wants to cling to power in Tehran, even if it brings on more and more assaults."

"They [should] be rational and think about the interests of their country and their people. But the interests of a few who are trying to maintain power over those people, those interests are different," he added.

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