The fourth round of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is about to kick off, with previous meetings injecting much-needed momentum into President Donald Trump’s push for a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear crisis. Still, with only a short window for diplomacy and factions in the United States, Iran, and Israel opposing diplomacy, there is no guarantee that the current momentum will lead to a sustained negotiating process, much less an effective agreement that verifiably reduces Iran’s proliferation risk.
If the Trump administration is serious about reaching an agreement, it needs to maximize this opportunity created by these early talks. That includes creating an environment conducive to the intensive diplomacy that will be necessary to reach an effective agreement. To achieve that, the administration should focus on consistently messaging pragmatic objectives for a deal and de-emphasizing U.S. efforts to exert so-called “maximum pressure” on Iran while talks are ongoing.
Read the full OpEd, published May 1, 2025, at Just Security.