Petraeus: US in 'difficult' position, ‘strategic cul-de-sac’ with Iran
Key takeaways
- I certainly haven t seen any indication that they have made major modifications to their demands, which are that we leave the Gulf, we pay reparations to them, they retain control of the Strait of Hormuz, he said.
- Petraeus, who recently traveled across the Middle East, said it appears as though Iran thinks that they have more ability to tough this out by continuing to ask for unreasonable negotiation positions.
- [Iran thinks] that they have more resilience than perhaps those do in Washington, and time will tell whether that is the case or not, he said.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
David Petraeus on Friday said the U.S. is in a difficult position in its standoff with Iran, saying the country believes it can outlast negotiation pressures from the Trump administration as the two nations remain deadlocked.
Speaking of the negotiations in an interview on the Cats & Cosby radio show hosted by John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby on WABC 770 AM, the former CIA director said he has seen little indication Iran is willing to soften its demands during ongoing talks with the U.S.
I certainly haven t seen any indication that they have made major modifications to their demands, which are that we leave the Gulf, we pay reparations to them, they retain control of the Strait of Hormuz, he said. I think we re in a difficult position, and they know, of course, that the President is facing midterm elections. He wants to return to the affordability agenda.