IS IRAN JUST STALLING FOR TIME?

I’m sure many readers of this blog are, like me, very interested in following major global news. All such readers are also, like me, growing more puzzled by the ongoing stalemate in the Iranian-American talks about Iran’s nuclear program. Despite five rounds of negotiations (and a sixth one scheduled this weekend), there has been no real progress on any of the issues being discussed in these “nuclear talks.” This post will list several of the options being considered at the talks, but the bottom line seems to be this: (A) The USA insists that Iran halt its nuclear enrichment program so it cannot have a nuclear weapon, and (B) Iran insists it will never give up its nuclear enrichment program or its “right” to have nuclear weapons. These were the initial positions of the parties, and there seems to be no “give” on either side yet. These are, obviously, incompatible positions. Each side’s negotiating strategy seems to be to wear out the other party and wait for the other party to capitulate.

I’d like to suggest how I see these negotiations at present. I think Iran is winning the negotiations. As long as they can forestall any American or Israeli attack on their nuclear facilities, Iran succeeds. This negotiating stalemate means Iran can enrich uranium at breakneck speed, hoping to build a nuclear weapon before the talks end in failure. If Iran succeeds in this goal, President Trump will be a huge loser and the world will see he was successfully “played” by Iran. Israel, which is apparently being held off from attacking Iran by Trump, is also losing as Iran progresses toward having nukes while Israel is not allowed to attack to stop Iran from getting the weapons it needs to “wipe Israel off the map.”

Let’s review some of the reports that have emanated from these American-Iranian talks. The first link reports that the Pentagon has given to President Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth a variety of attack plans which could be implemented to stop Iran’s enrichment program and its drive toward nuclear weapons. If Iran is attacked, the attacks will need to be very widespread as Iran has made clear it will attack American interests in the Mideast if it is attacked. Is Trump serious in asserting repeatedly that he will not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons or is he bluffing? I hate to say it, but the longer these “talks” go one without any agreement or substantive progress, it looks like Trump is bluffing. Iran surely sees this and so it continues its “talks” which are insincere in content and intended only to buy Iran’s nuclear program more time. The second link and third link report that the foreign press is seeing “confusion” and “uncertainty” in the Iranian-American talks. The entire world is watching these talks to see who is serious and who is bluffing. If both are deadly serious in their demands, then war is inevitable.

Israel is likely the most interested spectator to these talks. However, it is a participant whether it is at the table in these talks or not. Israel has also declared that it will never allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. It seems the USA is pressuring Israel to hold off an attack during the talks to give them a chance to succeed, but this odd policy restrains Israel and allows Iran more time to pursue nukes. Iran likely thinks it can prevent an Israeli attack by endlessly prolonging the talks with Trump and his negotiators. The fourth link indicates, correctly I believe, that Israel’s patience with unproductive talks will at some point run out. When/if that happens, Israel will attack Iran and its strike will be very broadly damaging to Iran.

The fifth link states that Trump is likely pushing for a grand solution for the entire Mideast: a plan which prevents an Israeli attack on Iran, motivates Iran to give up its nuclear program, precipitates normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, ends the Gaza war and releases the Israeli hostages, etc. That is a huge goal and it would be a major triumph if Trump can accomplish such a feat. However, it is not likely to happen. The link also echoes the point that Israel cannot wait forever in this paused confrontation with Iran. It notes that if Trump’s Iranian negotiations fail to stop Iran’s nuclear program, Israel will have to either comply with the USA and not attack Iran or defy the USA and attack Iran. Since Iran’s stated goal is to “wipe Israel off the map,” Israel cannot, under any circumstances, allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. President Trump surely realizes a significant part of his political base in the USA is wholly on Israel’s side, and Trump cannot offend his political base if he wants to accomplish anything more in his presidency.

Iran is also raising the stakes, as the sixth link reveals. Iran says it knows where Israel’s “secret” nuclear facilities are and will attack them if Israel attacks Iran. Iran could “attack” Israel’s nuclear facilities with conventional weapons and terrorism. Israel’s only known nuclear facility is at Dimona, Israel and that is a small nuclear facility. If Israel has as many nuclear weapons as the world tends to think, then Israel has to have more nuclear facilities than the small one at Dimona. Obviously, Israel would need larger, secret facilities inside Israel or a secret supplier of plutonium and enriched uranium to make a meaningful number of nuclear weapons. Is Iran bluffing in this threat? We do not know.

The stalemated Iranian-American talks cannot continue indefinitely. Either one side has to substantially capitulate or the talks will fail–leading almost certainly to a war. Patience is wearing thin on all sides. Israel is surely making contingency plans depending on whether it strikes Iran with American help or without it.

When/if military strikes limited to Iran’s nuclear facilities occur or whether this erupts into a larger war, there are several biblical prophecies which can shape our expectations for any such war’s outcome. Genesis 49 is a prophecy about aspects or conditions of each of the tribes of Israel in the latter days (confirming all the tribes will be present among the nations in our “latter days” period of time). The Jews are the tribe of Judah and verses 9-10 offer triumphant language about Judah’s destiny in the latter days. It likens Judah to a lion taking down its prey in the latter days. This clearly predicts Jewish/Israeli triumphs in wars in the latter days, and that has been the case in several wars since the Israeli nation was founded in 1948. Zephaniah 2 prophesied the Jews would have a new nation in the Promised Land in the latter days and that its territory at its founding would include the Mediterranean Sea coastline and the city of Ashkelon (Zephaniah 2:1-7). This prophecy was specifically fulfilled in 1948 when the modern Israeli nation was founded with the Mediterranean seacoast as its western border and its territory including the city of Ashkelon. Zephaniah 2:8-11 prophesied the new Jewish nation would be beset by enemy neighbors who would be having border disputes with the Jewish nation. That has also come true. Zechariah 12:1-9 foretells God will destroy all nations which come against the Jewish nation in the latter days and verse 9 warns any nation seeking to destroy the Jewish nation will risk destruction at the hand of God.

We do not know what will unfoldin the Mideast. We will have to keep watching and see what happens. One thing is certain: God’s prophecies will not fail.

IS IRAN JUST STALLING FOR TIME?

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