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Strategies Iranians Use to Trick Westerners into Accepting What They Want

(Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs) Dr. Harold Rhode - The threat posed by the Iranian regime is far from over. Iranian leaders have mastered the art of patience, procrastination, and opportunism - waiting for the right moment to strike. Although weakened, the regime is not mortally wounded. As long as it remains in power, the West, Israel, and moderate Arab allies remain in danger. For Westerners, negotiations are about compromise and achieving win-win outcomes. For Iranians, negotiations occur only after one side has already won. The winner dictates the terms; the loser must submit. In Iranian political culture, compromise is humiliation - a fate worse than death. Iranians interpret the 12-day war with Israel and the U.S. as a victory, since their opponents lacked the resolve or ability to destroy the regime. Iranians treat signed agreements as temporary tools, not binding commitments. They may sign documents "to accommodate" others but rarely intend to honor them. Agreements are stepping-stones toward ultimate victory. Iranian leaders fear only strength and the credible willingness to use it. While Israel and the U.S. performed impressively during the 12-day war, Iran bides its time, expecting the West to lose interest and retreat. What sounds unimaginable to us is entirely plausible to them. The writer, a fellow of the Jerusalem Center, served as an adviser on the Islamic world for the U.S. Department of Defense for 28 years.
2025-08-19 00:00:00
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