Any serious analysis of why the US-Iran war is so difficult to end diplomatically must grapple with a disturbing reality: the officials most likely to advocate for a negotiated solution have been systematically eliminated. The killing of Ali Larijani, Iran’s secretary of the supreme national security council and one of its most pragmatic senior figures, was emblematic of a broader pattern. Israel and the United States have killed much of Iran’s senior leadership, deliberately targeting individuals who might have served as bridges between Tehran and Washington.
The effect of these killings on Iran’s internal political dynamics has been profound. Those who remain in positions of authority have drawn a logical conclusion from the fate of their colleagues: being seen as open to engagement with the enemy is dangerous. Israel has reportedly made explicit threats against Iranian officials involved in negotiations, adding an active deterrent on top of the historical record of targeted killings. The result is a diplomatic landscape in which Iran’s potential interlocutors are either dead or afraid.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson articulated the country’s collective experience directly, describing what he called a “very catastrophic experience” with American diplomacy. The specific grievances were concrete: Iran was attacked during the 12-day war last summer while engaged in negotiations, and the current conflict was initiated while progress toward a comprehensive deal was reportedly being made. Twice burned, Iranian officials approached any new overture from Washington with justified suspicion.
Against this backdrop, Iran’s rejection of the US ceasefire proposal on Wednesday and its submission of a counter-plan that demanded security guarantees as a primary condition made complete sense. Tehran was not simply posturing — it was stating what it genuinely needed before it could risk engaging in direct negotiations. The demand for guarantees was a direct response to the experience of being attacked during talks.
For any peace process to have a real chance, the US and Israel would need to provide credible assurances that Iranian officials involved in negotiations would not be targeted. This is not primarily a diplomatic technicality but a fundamental prerequisite for engagement. Without addressing the physical safety of potential Iranian negotiators, the cycle of proposal and rejection would likely continue indefinitely, regardless of how many intermediaries were involved or how urgently the international community pushed for talks.