Trump’s war has emboldened Iran. Diplomacy is the only solution | Kenneth Roth

The military approach has backfired, with Iran’s position only strengthened.

But the door is still open to a deal

Donald Trump was quick to https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/us/jd-vance-pakistan-iran-war-talks.html">declare victory over Iran, but this weekend’s negotiations suggest that Tehran has the upper hand.

His war of choice has backfired.

His military solution has emboldened rather than weakened Iran.

Diplomacy is his only reasonable option.

Trump may have hoped that the marathon https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/us/jd-vance-pakistan-iran-war-talks.html">16-hour talks in Pakistan would extract him from his self-created quagmire, but the issues that have long divided Washington and Tehran are complex.

When it turned out that Iran wanted to negotiate rather than https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/world/middleeast/iran-united-states-negotiations.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">capitulate, JD Vance, who led the US diplomatic team, packed his bags and went home.

Kenneth Roth is a Guardian US columnist, visiting professor at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs, and former executive director of Human Rights Watch.

He is the author of https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739898/righting-wrongs-by-kenneth-roth/">Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments