CNN host and Washington Post columnist Fareed Zakaria said Wednesday that while the U.S. economic blockade on Iran is successfully pressuring Tehran to negotiate, both sides — including the Trump administration — are risking progress by pushing their advantage too far.
“The blockade on Iran is working well. The Iranians are squeezed. They’ve been coming forward with proposals, and Trump seems to be reluctant,” Zakaria said during a CNN segment. He suggested a pattern of escalating demands emerges whenever either side feels it has leverage, making a deal elusive.
Negotiation Stalemate
Zakaria noted the apparent contradiction in Trump’s approach: aggressively dismantling Iran’s nuclear program just months ago, yet now appearing hesitant to finalize terms despite Iran’s recent concessions. “He wants to be able to claim he won, and it’s a hard thing to do, because that wouldn’t be an accurate statement,” Zakaria said, referencing the administration’s mixed signals between threats and temporary agreements.
Midterm Lessons
The analyst pointed to the recent midterm elections as evidence that Americans favor de-escalation. “This is not a war to escalate. This is a war to settle,” he argued, predicting both sides will eventually compromise despite current posturing. Zakaria emphasized that while Trump has threatened military action recently, the lack of follow-through suggests an underlying willingness to negotiate.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/11/05/zakaria-blockade-on-iran-is-working-well-trump-pushing-advantage-too-much/