TEHRAN – The Trump-Zelensky meeting was a political car crash so spectacular it briefly eclipsed all other global headlines. Eyewitness accounts from the Oval Office painted a picture of a meeting unlike any other – a clash of personalities, egos, and geopolitical agendas so raw, so unfiltered, it left seasoned journalists speechless.

As the drama unfolded on screens worldwide, battle lines were drawn. Was Zelensky reckless to poke the bear, knowing Trump's famously thin-skinned narcissism? Or was Trump's behavior bordering on bullying? The world watched, gasped, and took sides as the foundations of diplomacy seemed to crack before their very eyes.

But for Iranians watching the spat unfold, the question wasn't who was right or wrong; it was about whether the fallout could be a mirror of their own potential future.

Trump has been asking Iranians to sit at the negotiation table since he returned as the president. In doing so he isn't removing the sanctions he imposed against Iran, or returning to the nuclear deal in left in shambles in 2018, instead he is coming up with more embargoes and punctuating them with occasional threats of military action.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said early last month that Tehran will not be engaging in any negotiations with Washington. "We are open to dialogue with all countries but there is one exception: America," he said, adding, "The reason? Experience!"

Iranian officials from different political group all rallied out behind the Leader. Still, there were some analysts who believed Iran should enter talks with Washington because it won't hurt. Zelensky's meeting with Trump showed them that it could very much do.

Lessons for Iran

The drama between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky wasn't just a fleeting news item; it was a stark morality play, a neon-lit warning sign for nations like Iran that dare to believe in the promises of the West. While Western media may spin it as a unique Trumpian spectacle, for Iran, it's just the latest verse in a familiar, bitter song of betrayal and exploitation

The idea that America offers genuine security guarantees is a dangerous delusion, a mirage shimmering in the desert of geopolitics. Ukraine, lured by the promise of Western support, finds itself dangling, vulnerable and exposed. Just as Afghanistan was abandoned to its fate, Ukraine is being used as a pawn in a larger game of power, its needs secondary to the strategic calculations of Washington.

The inherent arrogance and self-interest of American foreign policy transcends partisan lines. The hunger for access to Ukrainian resources, barely veiled beneath the diplomatic niceties, reveals the true nature of the beast: a colonial power dressed in the garb of democracy.

The future

After what happened at the Oval Office, Iran's path forward is clearer now: self-reliance. Iran cannot afford to be seduced by the siren song of Western promises. The lessons from the JCPOA, a dead letter thanks to American perfidy, should be etched in stone: trust only in our own strength.

This means investing in domestic industries, forging alliances with nations that share our distrust of Western hegemony, and fostering a society united in its commitment to national independence. The success of Iranian volunteers in defeating ISIS in Iraq proves the power of a mobilized and determined populace. That same spirit must be harnessed to build a resilient and self-sufficient Iran, impervious to the machinations of foreign powers.

The Trump-Zelensky encounter wasn't just an international incident; it was a gift. It was a stark, undeniable reminder that our destiny is in our own hands. Let us heed the warning, cast off the shackles of dependency, and forge a future where Iran is the master of its own fate. The time for illusions is over. The time for self-reliance is now.