Talks Between Iran and U.S. Ongoing After Rising Tensions & Navy Deployment

Jack Schmitt

Staff Writer

Much was on the table during the long-anticipated talks between American delegates and Omani intermediaries on Friday, March 6, as the United States Navy deployment near Iran’s waters resulted in a drone being intercepted mere days before discussions began. According to Reuters, on Tuesday, February 3, “The U.S. military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that ‘aggressively’ approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, the U.S. military said.” 

The U.S. has long held a military presence in and around the region, but recent tensions marked by Iran’s widespread internal protests, as well as a failure to come to an agreement over Iran’s nuclear program had prompted Trump to order an increase in warships and military personnel. Trump, as reported by NBC News, “recently called for regime change in the country, while also pressing Iran to make a ‘deal’ to address concerns over its nuclear capabilities.”

This comes as Iran reels from weeks of deadly protests that lasted from late December to mid-January. “Protests erupted across Iran just before the new year, driven by anger over economic hardship and a collapsing currency, but quickly escalated into calls for an end to the Islamic Republic. Days later, security forces responded with deadly force,” says BBC News. A nationwide internet outage occurred soon after protests started, seemingly indicating an attempt by Tehran to suppress information about the protests from leaking internationally. Despite this, BBC News has corroborated reports that show as many as 6,000 confirmed dead, with estimates rising as high as 25,000 dead.

The ongoing negotiations are as much about resuming the U.S.-Iran Nuclear talks as they are about de-escalation between the two parties. The Associated Press writes, “Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to reach a deal on the program after earlier sending the carrier to the region amid Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests that killed thousands and saw tens of thousands of others detained in the Islamic Republic.” Whether this negotiation strategy with Iran will bear fruit is a matter of ongoing speculation, but the current withdrawal of several ships in the wake of negotiations suggests that tensions are cooling. 

One nation that has been repeatedly relevant in the affairs of both the U.S. and Iran is Israel, which has thus far remained silent on the recent escalation and diplomatic talks. As a strategic American military ally in the region, Israel has repeatedly been involved in conflict with Iran in the past, most recently in the 12-day exchange of missiles and drones last June. The country also serves as an important base of military operations for the U.S. military, notably where several vessels involved in the interception of the Iranian drone were anchored prior to the incident.

In another report by BBC News, it is found that, “While many US allies are warning that trying to unseat Iran’s leadership carries huge risks for the region, many in Israel see potential benefits for their security.” The primary motivator for Israel, as stated by its own officials, is to ensure its own security after repeated animosity has driven the two countries to engage in indirect military conflict. “By changing the regime in Tehran, Israel would hope to end the threat from Iran’s ballistic missiles, and the possibility that it would one day acquire nuclear weapons too.” 

Yet the recent pause between Washington and Tehran in favor of diplomatic discussions seems to indicate a willingness by both parties to avoid such an outcome. Ellie Geranmayeh from the European Council on Foreign Relations, was interviewed by Al Jazeera, mentioned that “Trump could justify such an attack – and possibly even a regime change – by arguing that the US wants to protect civilians. But the risks of a military intervention, she added, are significant, and there are no guarantees that Iranians would be better off as a result.”

While the situation is still developing, the fact remains that the future of relations between the United States and Iran rides on the outcome of the recent talks, and the willingness by both sides to resolve disagreements with words and handshakes rather than bullets, drones, and missiles.

Image courtesy of Getty Images.