Hardliners caution against US talks but others buoyed by Pentagon pick
While prominent Iranian officials and clerics reaffirmed their opposition to negotiating with the United States, one appointment in Donald Trump’s administration has raised cautious optimism for a potential diplomatic opening.
The appointment of Michael Dimino as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East is seen by some observers in Tehran as an indication of a possible recalibration in US policy toward Tehran.
Esmaeil Khatib, Iran’s Intelligence Minister, dismissed the notion of productive negotiations with the US, citing previous instances where, according to him, Washington failed to uphold its commitments.
“The Islamic Revolution has extensive experience with these negotiations, a prominent example being the JCPOA. Negotiations held in Oman, as well as those concerning our assets in Qatar and South Korea, all reveal that the Americans have not fulfilled their promises in any of them,” Khatib told ILNA, referencing the 2015 nuclear deal.
He repeated his staunch opposition to what he called imposed negotiations, adding, “Anyone who is truthful will earn the respect of Iran, Islam, and the Revolution for their honesty, and wherever there is deceit, arrogance, hostility, and oppression, Iran will resist.”
Clerics Echo Anti-US Sentiment
Tehran’s Friday prayers featured strong rebukes of US policies. Ahmad Khatami, a senior ultra-conservative cleric, invoked Iran’s ideological opposition to Washington, saying, “The late leader Khomeini called the US the Great Satan. The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reiterated this stance numerous times.”
Khatami argued that the US’s primary aim in seeking talks was to undermine the Islamic Republic, adding, “The US seeks negotiations as a means to confront the Revolution.”
Ahmad Alamolhoda, Mashhad’s hardliner Friday Prayer Leader, also criticized domestic advocates for dialogue with the West, asking, “With whom do you wish to negotiate? With defeated elements who have sunk to such humiliation?”
Dovish Dimino?
While Iranian hardliners reject overtures from Washington, moderate voices within the country have pointed to potential openings under Trump’s renewed tenure.
Fararu, a relatively moderate Iranian news outlet, highlighted comments by VP for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif, who expressed hope for a more rational approach from Trump.
The outlet noted that recent changes in Trump’s foreign policy team, including Dimino’s appointment, could signal an interest in diplomacy.
Dimino’s stance on the Middle East contrasts with more forceful policies. He has opposed preemptive military strikes on Iran, called for reducing the US military footprint in the region, and emphasized diplomacy as a solution to conflicts.
This Department of Defense official has said that the US should significantly reduce its troop presence in the region and shut down its military bases in Iraq and Syria.
Dimino had described US strikes on the Houthis as lacking deterrent value. He also called for a reassessment of the US presence in the Persian Gulf.
"Iranian power remains both exaggerated and misunderstood. Its economy continues to underperform, and its conventional military is antiquated and untested. Tehran simply doesn’t have the financial capital or hard power capabilities to dominate the Middle East or directly threaten core US interests," he wrote in a 2023 article.
He has repeatedly warned that Israeli attacks on Iran and the Islamic Republic’s proxy forces increase the risks to US forces in the region.
Critics, however, argue that his affiliation with the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft —a think tank known for promoting restraint in US foreign policy—raises concerns about the administration’s commitment to Israel.
Pro-Israel figures, such as commentator Mark Levin, have criticized Dimino’s views, citing his opposition to US defensive support for Israel against Hezbollah. Others view his appointment as a potential indicator that Trump is exploring non-military options in dealing with Tehran.
US-Iran relations have been fraught since Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the JCPOA, a decision that intensified sanctions and strained Tehran’s economy.
Tensions peaked in January 2020, when a US drone strike killed IRGC Qods Force Commander Qassem Soleimani, an event that both nations view as a turning point in their confrontation.
As Trump’s administration implements a renewed maximum pressure campaign, debates persist about the feasibility of US-Iran diplomacy.
