The Strategy of Interests: Wendy Sherman on Negotiating the Iran Conflict

Negotiating with an adversary does not require trust, but it does require a fundamental respect for the fact that they have interests. Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman explains that while trust is often non-existent in high-stakes diplomacy, understanding the deep-seated "culture of resistance" that drives a regime is the only path toward a functional agreement. This discussion explores the historical friction between the United States and Iran, tracing modern tensions back to the 1953 coup and the 1979 revolution. It examines the limits of military force in an era of asymmetric drone technology and why a purely transactional foreign policy may be leading to a state of "superpower suicide" by eroding global alliances.

• Diplomacy is effective  ...