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With Trump Returning and Hizbullah Weakened, Iran Strikes a Conciliatory Tone

(New York Times) Farnaz Fassihi - In mid-November, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dispatched senior adviser Ali Larijani to Beirut to urge Hizbullah to accept a ceasefire with Israel. On Friday, Iran held talks in Geneva with European countries on a range of issues, including its nuclear program. This marks a sharp change in tone from late October, when Iran was preparing to launch an attack on Israel. Five Iranian officials and two former officials said the decision to recalibrate was prompted by Mr. Trump winning the U.S. presidential election. It was also driven by Israel's decimation in Lebanon of Hizbullah - the closest and most important of Iran's militant allies. Together with economic challenges, this forced Iran to recalibrate its approach to one of defusing tensions, the current Iranian officials said. They said Iran suspended plans to strike Israel following Mr. Trump's election, as the incoming administration began lining up cabinet nominees who were hostile to Iran and staunch supporters of Israel. "The shift in tone is about protecting Iran's interests," said Sanam Vakil, Middle East director for Chatham House, a British policy research group.
2024-12-01 00:00:00
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