Tehran – Former Iranian diplomat and current Princeton University researchers suggest that Donald Trump can end more than 40 years of hostility between Tehran and Washington according to a set of key principles.
“Trump can break the 40-year deadlock between Washington and Tehran and end decades of hostility by adhering to the following key principles,” he wrote in the Middle Eastern Eye in March 2025.
“Trump says he wants to do business with Iran. This is how he does that.”
Recently, the US has been attacking Yemen’s Houtis.
President Donald Trump declared that Iran will hold him responsible for “every shot” being fired by the Houtis, warning that it will face “disastrous” consequences.
Meanwhile, Israel violated a ceasefire agreement with Hamas and launched dozens of deadly attacks on Gaza, which killed more than 400 people, most of them women and children.
Tensions in the region are escalating, increasing the possibility of a military conflict between the US and Iran. This is a conflict that could involve the Middle East.
At the start of his second term, President Trump repeatedly expressed his willingness to negotiate with Iran and reach an agreement.
On March 12, Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates, delivered a letter from Trump to Tehran’s highest Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Israeli sources argued that the letter was “stricken,” warning of consequences if an agreement was not reached, and claimed that it had set a two-month deadline for a new nuclear deal.
The US has attacked the attack on the Housis and threats to Iran, Tehran is uncertain about Trump’s commitment to diplomacy, and the US’s attack on Yemen and threats to Iran are uncertain about Trump’s commitment to diplomacy. However, Iran’s official response remains unknown. Will Ayatollah Khamenei refuse to negotiate altogether or will he accept them under certain conditions?
Tehran’s reply not only addresses nuclear issues, but also could shape the future of Iran-US relations and regional stability.
Conditions for the lecture
Steve Witkoff, a Trump Middle Eastern envoy, provided a positive and constructive interpretation of Trump’s letter.
In an interview with television host Tucker Carlson, he said Trump was embracing the opportunity to “clean it all” with Iran and wanted to build trust with them. In the letter, Trump said, “I am the president of peace. That’s what I want. There’s no reason to make this military. We should talk about it.”
Nearly 20 years at Iran’s Foreign Ministry and the National Security Council – particularly in the management of relations with the West – and 15 years of academic research at Princeton University have observed factors that determine the success of diplomacy.
Trump can break the 40-year deadlock between Washington and Tehran and end decades of hostility by adhering to the following key principles:
Mutual respect is essential. With a civilization spanning seven,000 years, Iranians are proud countries. No threat, insult or coercion will bring them to the negotiation table. (Ayatollah) Khamenei’s personality is completely different from Ukrainian President Voldy Milzelensky.
Tehran values actions on words. During the 2024 election campaign, and afterwards, Trump issued a positive and constructive statement about his diplomacy with the Middle East war against Iran. However, the first step in his appointment was to restore maximum pressure policies and escalate hostilities. Iran’s decisions are based on Washington’s tangible behavior, not rhetoric.
The scope of negotiation is important. Trump argues that his only concern is that Iran will prevent the development of nuclear bombs. However, his February 4 memorandum expanded beyond the nuclear issue to cover regional issues, defense capabilities, human rights and terrorism. Comprehensive negotiations should be organized as a step-by-step process.
A balanced and dignified agreement is required. If Washington seeks an agreement that will serve quite a bit of benefit to both countries, that will result in much greater likelihood of acceptance in Tehran.
Finally, sustainability is important. After 12 years of negotiations, Iran signed the 2015 nuclear agreement and fully implemented it. It was approved by UN Security Council resolution 2231, but Trump withdrew in 2018. There remains a lot of serious concern. Even if a new agreement is reached, what guarantees that the next US president will not abandon it again?
A realistic roadmap
“Iran cannot directly negotiate with the US under current conditions of ‘maximum pressure’,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said.
However, Trump could secure a historic agreement with Tehran through direct negotiations, as long as it is based on clear principles. This requires a realistic roadmap with key components.
First, both parties need to establish two lists. One is to identify conflict issues, prioritize negotiations, and the other is to outline common interests.
A comprehensive agenda is required, but confidence building measures should be implemented through a step-by-step approach. Negotiations should begin with the first point of discrepancy: the nuclear issue, but both countries will simultaneously begin to cooperate on their first shared interests.
One of the main reasons for the failure of past diplomatic efforts is that both sides stick to differences of opinion and engage in mutual responsibility without fostering cooperation. Practical collaboration in areas of interest is one of the most effective ways to build trust.
Second, conflicts should be resolved under international norms, regulations, and the UN Charter, both of which are committed.
The 2015 nuclear deal was possible because the United States accepted the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the basis for negotiations. If Washington adheres to this principle, Iran will accept maximum cooperation in transparency and testing to ensure that the nuclear program does not deviate from arms development.
These two factors increase the chances of successful negotiations as they ensure that major conflicts are gradually addressed systematically.
Third, Trump is known for his unconventional decisions. He was able to propose a $4 trillion economic package for Iran in his four-year term.
Major economic opening between the two countries could ease tensions and encourage the resolution of broader conflicts, including regional disagreements between the two countries, while economic opening between the two countries could ease tensions and promote the resolution of broader conflicts, including regional disagreements. Such a proposal is consistent with Trump’s desire for “big economic deals” while assuring Tehran that sanctions will be lifted effectively.
Fourth, strengthening people-people relationships in sports, science, academia, arts, culture and consular interactions will greatly aid diplomatic efforts and facilitate hostility.
The final important factor is to resolve local conflicts through three principles. It will create a cooperative security system between eight Persian Gulf countries, including respect for each other’s legitimate interests and a security military conflict between Iran and Israel.
Such mechanisms could pave the way for a progressive withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East, reducing costs for American taxpayers and allowing for significant government savings.
By following this roadmap, President Trump has rare opportunities to secure a lasting, transformative agreement with Iran. This can restructure regional dynamics and redefine US foreign policy in the Middle East.