TEHRAN – A former Iranian diplomat and current Princeton University researcher suggests Donald Trump can end more than four decades of hostility between Tehran and Washington by following a series of key principles.

“Trump can break the 40-year deadlock between Washington and Tehran and end decades of hostility by adhering to the following key principles,” Hossein Mousavian wrote in Middle East Eye on March 2024, 2025.

The article titled "Trump says he wants a deal with Iran. This is how he can do it" reads as follows:

In recent days, the United States has been striking the Houthis in Yemen. 

President Donald Trump declared he would hold Iran responsible for "every shot" fired by the Houthis and warned that it would face "dire" consequences.

Meanwhile, Israel has violated its ceasefire agreement with Hamas, launching dozens of deadly attacks on Gaza that killed over 400 people, most of them women and children.

Tensions in the region are escalating, increasing the likelihood of a military confrontation between the US and Iran - a conflict that could engulf the Middle East.

At the start of his second term, President Trump repeatedly expressed his willingness to negotiate and reach an agreement with Iran. 

On 12 March, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, delivered a letter from Trump to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran.

Israeli sources claimed the letter was "tough", warning of consequences if no accord was reached and setting a two-month deadline for a new nuclear deal.

The US attacks on the Houthis and threats against Iran leave Tehran uncertain about Trump's commitment to diplomacy The U.S. attacks on Yemen and threats against Iran leave Tehran uncertain about Trump's commitment to diplomacy. However, Iran's official response remains unclear. Will Ayatollah Khamenei reject negotiations outright, or will he accept them under certain conditions?

Tehran's reply will not only address the nuclear issue but could also shape the future of Iran-US relations and regional stability.

Terms for talks

Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, offered a positive and constructive interpretation of Trump's letter.

In an interview with television host Tucker Carlson, he said that Trump was open to an opportunity to "clean it all up" with Iran and wanted to build trust with them. In the letter, Trump reportedly wrote: "I am a president of peace. That's what I want. There's no reason for us to do this militarily. We should talk."

With nearly two decades in Iran's Foreign Ministry and National Security Council - particularly in managing relations with the West - and 15 years of academic research at Princeton University, I have observed the factors that determine successful diplomacy.  

Trump can break the 40-year deadlock between Washington and Tehran and end decades of hostility by adhering to the following key principles:

Mutual respect is essential. Iranians, with a civilization spanning 7,000 years, are a proud nation. Threats, insults, or coercion will not bring them to the negotiating table. (Ayatollah) Khamenei's personality is entirely different from that of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Tehran values actions over words. During the 2024 election campaign and afterwards, Trump made positive and constructive statements about diplomacy with Iran and opposing Middle East wars. Yet his first step in office was to reinstate the maximum pressure policy and escalate hostilities. Iran's decision-making is based on Washington's tangible actions, not rhetoric.

The scope of negotiations matters. Trump has claimed that preventing Iran from developing a nuclear bomb is his sole concern. However, his February 4 memorandum extended beyond nuclear issues to cover regional affairs, defense capabilities, human rights, and terrorism. Any comprehensive negotiation must be structured as a step-by-step process.

A balanced and dignified agreement is necessary. If Washington seeks an accord that fairly serves both nations' interests, it stands a much greater chance of acceptance in Tehran.

Finally, sustainability is crucial. After 12 years of negotiations, Iran signed and fully implemented the 2015 nuclear agreement. Although endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Trump withdrew from it in 2018. A serious concern remains: even if a new agreement is reached, what guarantees that the next US president will not abandon it again?

A realistic roadmap

"Iran cannot negotiate directly with the United States under the current conditions of 'maximum pressure'," said Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Trump, however, has the potential to secure a historic agreement with Tehran through direct negotiations, provided they are grounded in clear principles. This would require a realistic roadmap with key components.

First, both sides should establish two lists: one identifying disputed issues, prioritized for negotiation, and another outlining common interests. 

While a comprehensive agenda is necessary, confidence-building measures should be implemented through a phased approach. Negotiations should begin with the first point of disagreement - the nuclear issue - while both countries simultaneously initiate cooperation on their first shared interest.

One of the main reasons past diplomatic efforts have failed is that both sides have fixated solely on disagreements, engaging in mutual blame without fostering cooperation. Practical collaboration in areas of shared interest is one of the most effective ways to build trust.

Second, disputes should be resolved based on international norms, regulations, and the United Nations Charter, to which both are committed. 

The 2015 nuclear deal was possible because the US accepted the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the basis for negotiations. If Washington adheres to this principle, Iran would be open to maximum cooperation on transparency and inspections to ensure its nuclear program does not deviate towards weapons development.

These two elements increase the likelihood of successful negotiations, as both sides would be assured that major disputes will be addressed gradually and systematically.

Third, Trump is known for unconventional decisions. He could propose a $4 trillion economic package for Iran over his four-year term. 

Major economic openings between the two countries could ease tensions and facilitate the resolution of broader disputes, including regional disagreementsMajor economic openings between the two countries could ease tensions and facilitate the resolution of broader disputes, including regional disagreements. Such a proposal aligns with Trump's desire for "big economic deals" while assuring Tehran that sanctions will be effectively lifted.

Fourth, strengthening people-to-people relations in sports, science, academia, art, culture, and consular exchanges would significantly aid diplomatic efforts and ease hostilities.

A final key element is resolving regional conflicts through three principles: respecting each other's legitimate interests, containing security-military confrontation between Iran and Israel, and creating a cooperative security system among the eight Persian Gulf nations.

Such a mechanism could pave the way for the gradual withdrawal of US forces from the Middle East, reducing costs for American taxpayers and enabling significant government savings.

By following this roadmap, President Trump has a rare opportunity to secure a lasting and transformative agreement with Iran - one that could reshape regional dynamics and redefine US foreign policy in the Middle East.