Analysis: Trump's Concerns About Economic Risks Weaken US Negotiating Leverage

On June 21, Trump cited the prospect of a global economic collapse as a key reason he signed the interim peace agreement with Iran, revealing a critical weakness facing the U.S. ahead of the next round of talks with Tehran. Iran, meanwhile, is aware that Trump is unwilling to re-engage in military action, as that would spark fresh economic chaos, so pressure on the U.S. to wrap up negotiations quickly has also eased. But pressure on the U.S. could escalate further. Domestically, a war with Iran has proven highly unpopular. A University of Maryland poll found that 56% of Americans believe such a war would hurt U.S. interests more than it would help them. Said Chris Kennedy, a former U.S. State Department official: “Overall, the 14 provisions in the memorandum of understanding put Iran in a strong position at the negotiating table on nuclear issues.” The pact also specifies that the originally planned 60-day negotiation period “may be extended,” meaning talks could drag on for several months. Miadeh Maleki, a former U.S. Treasury Department official, said the final result favors Iran more than the U.S. “Iran will not give up its nuclear program for the sanctions relief it has already secured. The U.S. could still ramp up military action, but it has eliminated its own economic leverage at exactly the moment it needed that leverage most.” (Golden Finance)