The World Cannot Afford An Illusion About Iran
A friend of mine recently sent an email to President Trump. He doubts it will ever reach the Oval Office. I suspect he is right.
That is unfortunate because his message deserves to be read—not only by the President, but by every policymaker who still believes Iran can be persuaded to abandon five decades of terrorism, deception, and revolutionary ambition.
He wrote:
Dear President Trump,
The United States cannot place any trust in statements or assurances coming from the current Iranian regime. Their record of deception, aggression, and destabilization speaks for itself. I urge you to consider the work(s) of Brigitte Gabriel, particularly “Because They Hate” and “They Must Be Stopped,” which examine the ideology and tactics of radical Islamist movements and the threat they pose to the free world.
In my view, the leaders of Iran’s ruling regime have repeatedly demonstrated that they are committed not to peace, but to domination through violence, terror, and manipulation. The international community must remain vigilant and prepared to take decisive action to prevent this regime from further endangering global stability.
For the sake of humanity, the regime’s ability to export terrorism and fuel conflict must be eliminated. Its pattern of brutality leaves no room for trust, negotiation, or concession. As difficult as this reality may be to accept, I believe the radical regime controlling Iran must ultimately be replaced by one that rejects terrorism and seeks peaceful coexistence. Only then can the region—and the world—move closer to lasting peace.
Respectfully,
Craig Taylor
Craig Taylor is right, and his warning deserves to be taken seriously.
Five decades of history have left little room for doubt about the nature of Iran’s ruling regime. Its record is one of deception, hostage-taking, proxy warfare, terrorism, and repeated violations of international commitments. Tehran’s actions—not its carefully crafted statements—have always revealed its true intentions.
Nor has the regime’s primary objective ever been the welfare of the Iranian people or peaceful coexistence with its neighbors. Instead, it has invested billions exporting the Islamic Revolution through Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and other terrorist proxies stretching from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Terrorism is not simply one of the regime’s tools; it is the cornerstone of its foreign policy.
That is why every negotiation with Tehran follows a familiar script. The regime offers just enough to keep talks alive, demands sanctions relief, delays implementation, invents new conditions, exploits divisions among Western allies, and stalls. During that time, it rebuilds its economy, advances its nuclear and missile programs, replenishes its military capabilities, and strengthens its terrorist proxies. Negotiations are not designed to resolve conflict; they are designed to postpone consequences.
Iran understands something too many Western leaders fail to appreciate; time itself is a strategic weapon.
The regime is betting that if it can stall long enough, the political winds in Washington will shift. It hopes a future administration will once again seek greater “daylight” between the United States and Israel by placing increasing pressure on Jerusalem while easing pressure on Tehran. From Iran’s perspective, a more progressive administration would be more willing to restrain Israel militarily, revive negotiations on terms favorable to Tehran, and pursue policies that, in its view, accommodate Islamist political demands while becoming increasingly critical of Israel’s security decisions.
Whether that calculation proves correct is beside the point. The very fact that Tehran believes it can outlast this administration explains why delay and deception have become two of its most effective strategic weapons.
This pattern has repeated itself since 1979 because too many Western leaders mistake tactical flexibility for strategic moderation. They celebrate diplomatic breakthroughs while Tehran quietly prepares for the next confrontation. The regime’s objectives have never changed: preserve the Islamic Revolution, weaken American influence, isolate Israel, dominate the Middle East through proxy warfare, and reshape the regional balance of power.
The lesson should be obvious. Lasting peace cannot be built on agreements with a regime that repeatedly demonstrates contempt for the agreements it signs. Deterrence requires more than carefully worded communiqués. It requires sustained economic pressure, rigorous enforcement of sanctions, credible military strength, and unwavering support for America’s democratic allies—especially Israel.
This is not an argument against the Iranian people. They have been among the regime’s first and greatest victims. They deserve the opportunity to live under a government that values freedom over fanaticism, prosperity over perpetual conflict, and peace over revolution. America’s quarrel is not with the people of Iran, but with the regime that has denied them liberty while exporting violence across the Middle East.
History offers a sobering lesson: appeasement has never transformed revolutionary regimes committed to expansion and violence. It has merely delayed confrontation while increasing its inevitability and associated costs in blood and treasure.
Peace will not come because Tehran signs yet another agreement it never intends to honor. It will come only when the current regime no longer possesses the ability to finance terrorism, arm proxy organizations, threaten Israel and its Arab neighbors, manipulate Western diplomacy, or exploit political divisions within the United States. Until then, every promise made by Tehran should be viewed not as a pathway to peace, but as another chapter in a long and calculated campaign of delay, deception, and destruction.
