Fmr Israeli Amb. to Newsmax: Likelihood Iran Accepts US Demands 'Very, Very Low'

Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog told Newsmax that the likelihood of Iran accepting U.S. demands amid escalating tension is "very, very low," warning that diplomacy may falter if both sides remain entrenched.

"Well, the U.S. articulated four demands from Iran," Herzog said on "American Agenda" Wednesday.

"One is, of course, to neutralize the nuclear program. The second was some limitations on the missile program."

He continued, "The third was to stop assisting terror proxies in the Middle East, and the fourth was related to the internal situation in Iran — stop the repression — which, of course, is very hard to quantify.

"I think the chances of Iran accepting all of these demands is very, very low.

"It's very slim because in their mind, this is a slippery slope. If you accept that, you invite more pressure to topple the regime."

If Washington maintains its current position and declines to soften its stance, Herzog said, the prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough diminish significantly.

Under those circumstances, Herzog pointed to the military option that he said President Donald Trump is strengthening by accumulating U.S. military assets in the region.

He described that option as "viable" but cautioned that its effectiveness would depend on clearly defined strategic objectives.

"The real question, if it comes to using that option, is what would be the strategic target of a military operation?" Herzog said.

He argued that airstrikes alone are unlikely to produce regime change in Iran, noting that military action rarely results in the collapse of entrenched governments.

Instead, he said a strike would likelier degrade Iran's strategic capabilities and weaken the regime rather than remove it.

Such an operation, Herzog speculated, could focus on diminishing Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure while targeting elements of what he described as the regime's repressive network.

The aim, he suggested, could be to weaken Tehran sufficiently to compel it back to the negotiating table under altered conditions, potentially paving the way for a deal following a strike rather than before one.