U.S. media admits: Want to talk, but can't find anyone in Iran to talk to

U.S. media finally admits: wants to negotiate with Iran, but can't find anyone in charge

The United States has only just realized that it can't even find someone to negotiate with Iran.

On the 30th, The New York Times published an article stating that U.S. intelligence agencies have finally recognized a problem: although Iran has already selected a new Supreme Leader and its security and military institutions continue to function, due to the absence of the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba, in public view, Iran currently lacks a single figure capable of representing all factions and engaging in negotiations with the United States.

This report by The New York Times follows the typical "victory narrative" style long favored by U.S. media—on one hand, exaggerating how thoroughly U.S. forces have bombed their targets, claiming they've secured strategic initiative and now can sit down for talks; on the other hand, relying heavily on vague expressions like "speculation," "possibly," and "perhaps" to depict internal chaos within Iran, factional suspicion, and inability to communicate. This implies that even though no one in Iran is contacting the U.S., and U.S. intelligence cannot obtain more concrete information, Iran is already "defeated."

However, some parts of The New York Times' reporting are not entirely baseless. Since the deaths of top figures including Supreme Leader Khamenei and National Security Council Secretary Lavājāni, the new leader Mojtaba has remained completely absent from public view. Meanwhile, President Pezeshkian holds relatively limited power. Indeed, Iran currently lacks a publicly visible individual with decisive authority who can represent all factions in negotiations.

Yet, concluding that Iran's internal situation has collapsed and it is completely unable to communicate externally is overly hasty—and even contradictory. After all, just recently, the same batch of American media reported that Russia is providing satellite intelligence support to Iran. If, as The New York Times claims, "Iran has no one in charge," then who exactly is coordinating such high-level strategic collaboration between Tehran and Moscow?

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861175237054539/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.