The U.S. is applying high-profile maximum pressure, and Iran claims to be ready for war. Trump is “curious” as to why Iran won’t give in.

# Global Times

A new round of US-Iran negotiations is scheduled to be held in Geneva on February 26. US media outlet Axios reported that this round of diplomatic talks could be "the last chance the US gives Iran before launching large-scale military operations." According to US media, Trump is inclined to carry out an initial strike against Iran within days, followed by larger-scale military attacks in the coming months to force Iran to "capitulate" and reach an agreement. Iran has responded that any US attack will be regarded as an act of aggression and will be met with a strong response.

A new round of talks between the United States and Iran is set to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 26. Ahead of the negotiations, the US side has once again issued threats to exert pressure. On February 22, US media quoted sources as revealing that US President Trump "is inclined to launch an initial strike against Iran in the coming days," followed by larger-scale military operations in the months ahead to force Iran to "capitulate" and reach an agreement on US terms. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi responded in an interview with US media the same day, stating that if the US launches an attack, Iran's response will be legitimate and lawful. He also emphasized that the current situation has changed compared to 10 years ago, and the two sides are expected to reach a "better agreement." In response, US Special Envoy Witkoff remarked on February 22 that Trump is "curious" why Iran has not yielded under US high-pressure tactics. While the international community generally hopes that the US and Iran can reach an agreement through negotiations, many media outlets worry that Trump, facing setbacks at home, may seek to "save face" by triggering geopolitical risks of a US-Iran conflict.

## The "Last Chance" Before Military Action?

Reuters reported that Omani Foreign Minister Bader posted on social media on February 22 that a new round of US-Iran negotiations is scheduled to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 26. Bader stated that all parties will redouble their efforts to finalize an agreement.

US website Axios reported on February 22 that this round of diplomatic negotiations could be "the last chance the US gives Iran before launching large-scale military operations." The US and Iran are expected to discuss Iran's detailed nuclear agreement proposal in the new round of talks. During the previous round of US-Iran negotiations held on February 17, the US demanded that Iran submit a detailed written proposal on the nuclear agreement by February 24. The US stated that it requires Iran to achieve "zero uranium enrichment," but is willing to consider allowing Iran to retain "symbolic uranium enrichment capacity" if Iran can prove that its plan can completely block all paths to nuclear weapons development. The report noted that the US and Iran have fundamental differences in their public positions on uranium enrichment, each having set "red lines." However, Trump's consideration of allowing Iran to retain "symbolic uranium enrichment capacity" indicates that there may still be a slim possibility of the two sides reaching an agreement.

Meanwhile, the US has once again publicly threatened to pressure Iran. The New York Times quoted sources within the US government on February 22 as saying that although no final decision has been made, Trump has told his advisers that he "is inclined to launch an initial strike against Iran in the coming days" to force Iran to "capitulate" and reach an agreement on US terms. If the "targeted" initial strike fails to force Iran to meet US demands, Trump "reserves the possibility of launching larger-scale military strikes later this year." The report stated that the US military's potential targets are wide-ranging, including the headquarters of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian nuclear facilities, and ballistic missiles.

Euronews quoted analysis by former CIA agent John Kiriakou on February 22, saying that although Trump previously publicly gave Iran a 10-to-15-day deadline to accept US conditions, such deadlines are often "tactical deception." "The president previously gave Iran a 10-day to two-week deadline, but an attack could be launched at any time to catch the opponent off guard." Last June, before the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, the US and Iran were scheduled to hold an indirect round of talks, and Trump also said at the time that he would give Iran "a few weeks."

## The Only Way to Resolve the "Nuclear Deadlock"

In response to US threats of military strikes to force Iran to yield, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on February 23 that any US attack, including limited strikes, will be regarded as an act of aggression, and Iran will respond strongly to such aggression in accordance with its inherent right to self-defense.

According to Iran's Mehr News Agency, Iranian Army Commander Jahanshahi said during an inspection of a mobile assault brigade in the northwestern border region on February 22 that Iran is continuously monitoring all enemy movements along the border. He emphasized that being fully prepared for war is the main deterrent to prevent enemy miscalculations and hostile actions.

Amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran, the Financial Times claimed on February 22 that Iran has reached a "secret arms deal" worth approximately 500 million euros with Russia. The report stated that days after the US and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities last year, Iran proposed to Russia the purchase of thousands of advanced portable air defense missiles. Analysts believe this indicates that Iran is rebuilding its air defense system, which was severely damaged by US and Israeli attacks, and is no longer fully reliant on fixed large-scale air defense systems.

In an exclusive interview with CBS on February 22, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi emphasized that if the US launches an attack, Iran's response will be legitimate and lawful. He said that Iranian missiles cannot reach the US mainland, so they will target US military bases in the region. However, Araghchi reiterated that diplomacy remains the only way to resolve the "nuclear deadlock" between Iran and the US. He stated that the current situation has changed compared to 10 years ago, and the two sides may reach a "better agreement" than the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal. But he also said that Iran will not abandon its right to uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes, which is Iran's sovereign right.

## "Eight Presidents, the Same Failed Strategy"

Responding to Iran's tough stance, US Special Envoy Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News on February 22: "The president spoke to me about this this morning... I don't want to use the word 'frustrated' because the president knows he has many options, but he is curious why they haven't yielded... The president is puzzled why Iran has not surrendered under such high pressure." In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi immediately posted on social media: "Want to know why we don't surrender? Because we are Iranians."

"Eight presidents, the same failed strategy." The Tehran Times reported that over the past 40 years, Trump and the seven US presidents before him have all tried to coerce Iran into abandoning its strategic assets and independence, but all have failed without exception. Over the years, Iran has experienced wars, sanctions, and the assassination of its commanders. Iranians have a long tradition of turning external threats into national unity. Now Trump is betting that pressure and military threats will make Iranians yield, but he will inevitably repeat the mistakes of his predecessors and fail again.

Radio France Internationale reported on February 22 that after the US Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariff policies unconstitutional on February 20, Trump announced a 10% import tariff on all countries worldwide. This temporary tariff measure is only valid for 150 days and has little practical significance, but it reflects Trump's clear political intention to "save face." The report warned that with escalating US-Iran tensions, if Trump tries to trigger a US-Iran conflict to rescue his domestic predicament, the world will once again be plunged into turmoil.

Source: Global Times

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