Name: Trump doesn't have many options on Iran: NIAC chairman
Uploaded: 2026-03-23T23:07:19.000Z
Duration: 4 min 7 s
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And National Iranian-American Council President Jamal Abdi is here for more.

So what's your reaction to the president saying the U.S.

and Iran have had very good and productive conversations about resolving hostilities while Iran is denying any talks are happening?

Well I think first of all the fact that the United States is leveraging war crimes talking about blowing up power plants I think demonstrates that Trump does not have very many options here.

And so there's a lot of speculation that he is sort of spinning this to calm the markets and just happens to be saying well I'm not going to commit those war crimes for five days until the market closes and then who knows.

So the fact that the Iranians are saying that there are no talks happening I think there likely has been an exchange of messages.

The question though is is the United States prepared to give up concessions because the Iranians are not going to just open up the Strait of Hormuz unless they get something for it.

They believe they're in the position of power on that question.

And so it really remains to be seen what is the United States willing to give if these if there really are serious talks being brokered indirectly then I think a solution is possible.

But Iran does not want this war to repeat itself.

Remember this is the second war on Iran in less than a year.

And I think Iran wants to retain this leverage that it's built up by demonstrating that it can inflict a lot of pain on the United States and the world if it's attacked.

So those two things are I think going to be in mind in those negotiations if they are in fact happening.

You say there are no good options for continuing the war.

Well we're looking at putting ground troops into Iran potentially trying to seize Khark Island.

We're talking about a couple thousand Marines.

That number could quickly spike based on how that goes.

If you put troops on Khark Island they're sort of sitting ducks there.

The Iranians are not going to stand by idly while that island is occupied.

So it's really it's a huge investment by the United States to escalate this further and it will make the potential of actually winding this down an even more distant prospect.

So I think we're at this fork in the road where Trump has these options but they are not ones that are going to end this quickly.

And so this diplomatic offer ramp I think looks a lot more attractive bearing all that in mind.

You also say Iranian protests aren't materializing despite calls from opposition figures.

What happens to that movement if the U.S. pulls out at this stage?

I think Iran is it's it's war torn right now.

But I don't think that the stability that the remainder of the Islamic Republic has managed to project is necessarily something that will bear out after a war.

I think there is still you know a lot of frustration from the people.

A lot of you know people are still very traumatized by the fact that thousands of Iranians were killed by the Islamic Republic earlier this year.

And so potentially there is a negotiation between society and the rulers over what things look like after the war.

Potentially though there is you know a crackdown by this government that has become more radicalized because of all the leadership being killed and a more radical group of leaders stepping into the into the fore.

And so I really I fear for what's next for the Iranian people.

I hope that this is an opportunity for change that is positive.

But everything that has happened so far in this war I think has set back hopes that there was potential for positive change.

And instead we have a government that has become more radical more entrenched and is unlikely to to treat any dissent with with with restraint.

National Iranian-American Council President Jamal Abdi thank you.