Writing for Israel Hayom, Amb. Freddy Eytan, a former Foreign Ministry senior adviser who served in Israel’s embassies in Paris and Brussels, warns that Western diplomats often misunderstand the dynamics of negotiating with Tehran. "Western diplomats negotiate for a better future and to secure a solid agreement, while the Iranians, Qataris, or Turks behave like carpet merchants in an oriental bazaar," writes Eytan, who was Israel’s first Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. "They seek only immediate gain without considering the long term."
The veteran diplomat argues that the Iranian regime has historically proven adept at buying time through cunning manipulation, avoiding military action while securing sanctions relief without meaningful concessions. Eytan contends that Netanyahu must unequivocally reject any nuclear agreement that fails to address ballistic missiles, Iranian support for proxy groups including Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas, and the regime's daily threats to annihilate the Jewish state.
President Trump, described by Eytan as "a businessman who doesn't mince words" rather than an ideologue, faces pressure from multiple directions, including divisions within his own party and Arab states. However, when Israel's security is at stake, Eytan insists that Trump cannot grant the mullahs a lifeline. Without comprehensive clauses addressing regional aggression and missile programs, any treaty would be "flawed and dangerous," encouraging nuclear proliferation and Islamist terrorism.
The article highlights concerns that the current trajectory mirrors previous administrations' failures, leaving Iranian opposition members in despair while the Islamist regime consolidates power. Eytan questions why Trump did not force Iran to surrender immediately following the recent 12-Day War, suggesting that military intervention currently appears ruled out despite the untenable security situation.
Concluding that Israel is not bound by any agreement it does not sign, Eytan emphasizes that Jerusalem must rely solely on itself, strengthening Mossad's technological capabilities to detect violations while maintaining readiness to defend against existential threats. Netanyahu, he insists, must return from Washington with concrete guarantees, not vague promises, ensuring that Israel retains complete freedom to prevent Iranian nuclear acquisition through all necessary means.
Graphic: The source