President Trump Moves on Iran

Once again, President Trump kicked off another week with big news.

Amid a growing U.S. military presence in the Middle East, the President revealed that nuclear talks with Iran have been set for later this week. And he made it clear that our goal is not “a regional war” (per a warning from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) – but if Iran chooses defiance over cooperation, America is watching, and we’re ready.

As reported by NBC:

President Donald Trump said Sunday that if Iran does not make a deal regarding its nuclear program, “we’ll find out” whether Iran’s supreme leader was correct to predict that a U.S. attack on the country would spark a regional war.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s remarks Sunday on a potential war come as Trump has weighed military action against Iran in response to the country’s nuclear ambitions and the government’s bloody crackdown on protesters.

Asked by a reporter about Khamenei’s remarks, Trump said, “Of course he would say that.”

“But we have the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there, very close, couple of days, and hopefully we’ll make a deal,” he continued. “We don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right.”

Tensions have been high after the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear facilities in June, and in recent weeks Trump has blasted Iran’s crackdown on protesters.

In January, Trump told Politico that he believed it was “time to look for new leadership in Iran.” As protests escalated last month, Trump told Iranian protestors that “help is on its way,” urging them to continue protesting. Thousands of people have been killed in the protests, according to a rights group.

President Trump addressed the Ayatollah’s warning head-on during a press gathering at Mar-a-Lago, noting that the United States is coming to negotiate, but if diplomacy fails, America is prepared. President Trump said his goal is deterrence, both to protect American interests and to apply pressure on the Iranian leadership.

Talks are expected to take place this coming Friday in Istanbul, where Trump Administration officials, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, are slated to meet with Iran’s foreign minister to discuss a potential new nuclear agreement. Remember that it was President Trump who rightly pulled the U.S. out of the terrible nuclear deal struck by the Obama Administration before him.

Iran’s renewed interest in negotiations comes amid protests by the Iranian citizens who’ve had enough of the regime’s oppressive rule and floundering economy. The Trump Administration has made clear that it stands with the Iranian people, particularly as the regime continues to violently suppress these demonstrations. We’ve seen and heard of atrocities committed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against its own people. And we know Christians and other religious minorities are often targeted and made to suffer most during these uprisings.

But a difficult question hangs over these negotiations: What happens to a budding revolution when a regime is handed the lifeline of international legitimacy? It’s almost a question of which is more important: a free Iran or a more cooperative regime? Critics have argued that the Obama nuclear deal legitimized a brutal regime, right as another movement for freedom was just gaining momentum in Iran.

And look, it’s fair to assume any deal President Trump would consider would be far tougher than any of his predecessors. The reality is these negotiations themselves could take pressure off Tehran at exactly the wrong moment. And it’s not like they haven’t promised to behave before. Just to go back to their “Death to Israel – Death to America” ways.

President Trump appears keenly aware of that reality. That’s probably why his strategy blends military strength with economic and diplomatic pressure. The promise of force as leverage is there on display, just in case they think he’s bluffing.

But it won’t be our first move. Any threat of a regional war largely depends on Iran and its proxy networks like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. And those groups are believed to be more diminished and a way less capable threat than they were in previous years.

It certainly appears that President Trump isn’t too concerned about the Ayatollah’s capacity to deliver on his threat. But I don’t think he is naïve either. Weakened doesn’t mean benign. We all know that even a dead bee can still sting if you step on it. And it’s no secret that Iran has been cozying up to antagonistic nations like Russia, China, and even Venezuela, looking to extend its reach and maybe beg for assistance and protection against America.

The bottom line is that the decisions made this week will carry global consequences. The news cycle may have moved on, when just weeks ago, Iran dominated the headlines. But revolutions don’t pause just because cable news moves on. The Iranian people didn’t go home because there’s unrest in Minneapolis. They’re fighting for their lives – not political rhetoric.

President Trump has made it clear: War is not the goal here – he ran as a “no new wars” President. But appeasement will not be on the agenda either. This Administration seems committed to protecting American lives and keeping pressure on a regime that has long terrorized its own people as well as other nations.

The ball is in Iran’s court now. President Trump isn’t choosing war. But he can’t make their decision for them. The Ayatollah has to choose between diplomacy and defiance. That decision will determine what happens next.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more discussion of the Ayatollah’s threat of a “regional war” and the upcoming negotiations. We were also joined live by my brother, ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow, who had just come off the stage at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C.

Watch the full broadcast below: