Former Trump foreign policy adviser Walid Phares warned Sunday that the U.S. must remain cautious in negotiations with Iran because the Islamic regime has shown no indication it ultimately wants peace or will stop backing regional militias.
“This is not a multinational corporation with whom we are negotiating interests on both sides,” Phares stated. “This is the nature of that jihadi regime, which has not until now given us any sign that ultimately they want peace, that ultimately they will not fund the militias.”
Phares made the comments while discussing President Donald Trump’s ongoing negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier Sunday that despite negotiations, the blockade remains in effect and Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon.
The key concern, Phares said, is whether the Iranian government could be trusted to uphold any future agreement.
“I am very concerned that if we put all the trust in the Ayatollah regime or in the IRGC regime, they may wait us out,” Phares added.
He further warned that Iran could potentially resume its nuclear ambitions after Trump’s presidency or following future U.S. elections.
“As soon as we enter the time of the midterms or after the Trump administration, they will go back,” Phares said. “There are no mechanisms on the ground like when Germany was occupied, or Germany was disarmed at the time we were there.”
Phares also discussed how a potential agreement could affect regional powers, particularly Israel and Gulf nations.
“Nevertheless, if there is a deal with the Islamic regime in Iran and part of the deal, because I’m reading that possibly Iran will try to impose something, which is to include Israel’s operations against Hezbollah, meaning to stop them until a deal is signed, first, I think Israel will not accept that,” he said.
Phares noted that Gulf nations want the United States to remain the guarantor of any agreement.
“All of them at this point in time, even if they have problems among themselves, have an interest in making sure that the U.S. is the guarantor of that deal,” Phares stated.
Phares also pointed to the Iranian people as a critical factor in any long-term resolution.
“The regionally important player is the Iranian people,” he said. “They are the guarantee that none of what we are concerned about will happen.”
