Don't Trust *And* Verify: US Amb. Waltz Says Iran Can Be Assured of 1 Thing Ahead of Any Nukes Agreement

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By Becca Lower

President Reagan used to love to use an old Russian adage, "Trust, but verify," when talking about the nuclear disarmament negotiations with the former Soviet Union and its leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, in the 1980s. I'll get back to that in a minute.

As RedState previously wrote, our negotiating team (possibly without VP Vance in tow) is returning to Pakistan for the next round of nuclear talks with Iran on Monday, as numerous uncertainties compound about who speaks for the Iranians or even controls its military actions.

In the middle of trying to make a deal of a different kind on nukes with Iran (and whomever is actually running it right now), President Trump and the U.S. might well turn to a paraphrase of Reagan's favored quip: "Don't trust and verify." That was a point U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz made during a sit down on ABC News' "This Week" program with host Jon Karl, which aired on Sunday.

Waltz told the host that the Iranian government "is in absolute disarray," and not in control of the Strait of Hormuz. In other words, they're saying a whole lot of nonsense they can't back up with action:

"You heard the Iranian foreign minister say it's open, then the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) step in and say, no, it's closed," he said, adding that the U.S. blockade, the Navy, and President Trump "ultimately deciding what gets in and out.

Trump "has completely turned the tables on Iran's attempt to hold the entire world's economies hostage, on its attempts to punish the world as the result of this dispute over its nuclear program," Waltz said.

Returning to Karl's question, he said he can assure Iran that it isn't going to be trusted to keep to anything it promises on nukes.

"I promise you, I assure you the United States doesn't trust anything; any agreement that comes out will have to be verifiable and enforceable." As U.S. ambassador to the UN, Waltz noted, "the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and its nuclear inspectors...will be a key part" of any final resolution with Iran. 

He said Pres. Trump has more tools available for the military to employ in the Strait to continue the blockade, and any ceasefire extension is up to the president:

Late last week, Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent announced another turning of the screws by the U.S. in addition to the blockade and devastating bombings -- economic pressure via what the administration is calling  "Operation Economic Fury." Freezing assets, including bank accounts, of top Iranian regime and IRGC figures, with the help of Iran's neighbors in the Gulf states. 

As Bessent put it: 

"So, we have pushed out to them the request that we want to freeze more funds of the leadership of the IRGC, and any members of Iranian leadership."

Arama wrote that the U.S, will also make sure Iran doesn't see any money sliding back to them from oil sales to other countries.

There's also this lingering question for the remaining mullahs and the IRGC: Exactly how much control can Iran have of the Strait, if even cruise ships are able to safely get through without their permission?

On Sunday, the host asked Waltz what the U.S. and the president are prepared to do, if Iran does not sign on to an agreement. In this longer clip, he did not mince words, saying "all options are on the table".

Watch:

In a delicious jab at former President Biden, Waltz told Karl that unlike his predecessor, President Trump doesn't publicly telegraph the U.S. foreign policy options "or tell his adversaries what he's not going to do, therefore giving them leverage." It's a new day, readers, and it's what I voted for, 100 percent.

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