On the first day of US-Iran talks in Switzerland, Israel-US relations expert Yoram Ettinger said the negotiations reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the Middle East and the Iranian regime. According to Ettinger, the agreement published so far — still far from final — shows a US team completely disconnected from the reality of the Ayatollahs' regime.
As the first session of US-Iran negotiations opened in Switzerland under the mediation of Qatar and Pakistan — with the US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and the Iranians by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — prominent Israel-US relations expert Yoram Ettinger issued a sharp assessment: the talks, he said, reflect a fundamental American misreading of the Middle East and, in particular, the Iranian regime.
Ettinger, a veteran analyst who has closely tracked US-Israel strategic ties, said that the framework agreement published so far 'shows a US team that is completely disconnected from the reality of the Ayatollahs' regime.' He noted the agreement is still far from final. His remarks come as the Israeli security establishment has expressed deep unease with the trajectory of the talks, which The Zioneer has been covering through the day: the US had earlier demanded IAEA inspectors at Iranian nuclear sites ahead of Sunday's opening; the first session was mediated by Qatar and Pakistan.
Ettinger's critique aligns with other Israeli analysts who have argued that the emerging memorandum of understanding could weaken Israel's strategic position. What remains unconfirmed: whether Ettinger has direct knowledge of the negotiating room or is relying on open-source reporting — his assessment is attributed as an expert opinion, not an on-record leak.
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