U.S. Attack on Iran’s Nuclear Sites Jeopardized N.P.T. and Future of Diplomacy: Analyst

According to Saednews, Cafiero noted that the Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which came in the midst of nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, have left the region less stable.

He said that the U.S. president’s rhetoric has consistently been “contradictory and Orwellian,” adding that Donald Trump was misguided in believing that his decision to support the Israeli war on Iran would compel “the Iranian leadership to come to the negotiating table and make greater concessions to the West.”

Cafiero explained that the consequences of military aggression will take time to fully materialize, but warned that “world statesmen will become increasingly suspicious of the U.S. when engaging in negotiations with Washington on sensitive issues,” as they may suspect that the Americans are negotiating in bad faith with hidden agendas.

Cafiero, the executive director of Persian Gulf State Analytics, a geopolitical risk consultancy, also cautioned that the attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites undermined the N.P.T., an international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

He elaborated that countries in the Global South may reassess the costs and benefits of continuing to be signatories to the treaty, or they might even consider acquiring nuclear weapons “to deter hostile powers from attacking them.”

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at White House

When asked about the pretexts cited by Israel and the U.S. for their attacks on Iran, the analyst criticized Western officials for using terms like “preemptive strike” or “preemptive war.” He pointed out the hypocrisy in their rhetoric, saying that these same officials constantly accuse Russia of an “unprovoked” attack on Ukraine. This inconsistency, he argued, underscores their “double standards.”

Cafiero rejected Trump’s slogan “peace through strength,” asserting that the U.S. and Israel coordinated their military action with the intention of catching Iran off guard. “I expect Iran to channel its energy into finding ways to establish a new form of deterrence that effectively addresses new realities, rather than invest energy into talks with the Americans,” he added.

Furthermore, the analyst urged Iran to remain vigilant, noting that “Israel disregards other countries’ sovereignty and acts aggressively,” despite its agreements to ceasefires. He emphasized that such actions could lead to further escalations in the region.