Wyoming Star News, Interview, April 24, 2026
Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a Visiting Research Collaborator with the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton University and a former Iranian nuclear negotiator, offered a detailed diagnosis of the impasse:
“The negotiations are currently at a deadlock. The main reason is that both sides had agreed to a ceasefire followed by negotiations. Talks were held in Islamabad about 12 days ago. The first day of negotiations went well, and it was expected that a draft agreement would be finalized on the second day. However, the US delegation suddenly left Islamabad and immediately imposed a naval blockade on Iran. In response, Iran once again closed the Strait of Hormuz. Under international law, a naval blockade constitutes an act of war. Iran has stated that if the United States recommits to the ceasefire and lifts the naval blockade, it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations. So far, Washington has not accepted these terms. As a result, Iran has continued to limit navigation in the Strait, which is why the situation remains at a deadlock.
The core problem is that US policy appears to be aimed at Iran’s capitulation. Washington needs to recognize that negotiations designed to force Iran’s surrender have neither worked in the past nor will they succeed in the future. Negotiations must be fair and mutually beneficial. Any viable agreement must allow both sides to save face, as each government needs to present the outcome as a success to its domestic audience.
While the agreement was in force, Iran fully complied with its commitments. The International Atomic Energy Agency had full oversight of Iran’s nuclear program, and in 16 reports over a period of three to four years, it consistently confirmed the peaceful nature of the program. During that time, Iran had no stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Iran also engaged in regional dialogue on Syria and Yemen with the United States, the EU, and the broader international community. When 16 US sailors accidentally entered Iranian territorial waters, direct communication between John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif led to their release within 24 hours. President Trump could have built on this progress and pursued broader negotiations with Iran – what might be called a “JCPOA Plus” – to address regional issues rather than killing the deal.”