In an April 16 article for Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, veteran Iranian diplomat Dr. Seyed Hossein Mousavian challenges conventional narratives about U.S.-Iran tensions, pointing instead to key areas of alignment between President Donald Trump and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Titled “Behind the U.S.-Iran Talks: Five Points of Convergence between Trump and Khamenei,” the article suggests that despite deep mistrust and conflicting rhetoric, there are key areas of convergence between President Donald Trump and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Dr. Seyed Hossein Mousavian is a long-time Iranian diplomat and former Iranian Ambassador to Germany. He spoke on March 28 to the 95th session of the International Peace Coalition forum.
In his article, Mousavian identifies five points of strategic overlap:
Shared Opposition to Iranian Nuclear Weapons: Both the Iranian and American leaders oppose Iran developing a nuclear bomb. Khamenei maintains that nuclear arms contradict Islamic principles, while Trump has emphasized that preventing Iran from acquiring such weapons is a central policy goal. “One of the most striking points of agreement between Khamenei and Trump is their mutual opposition to the development of nuclear weapons by Iran,” he said. “Khamenei has repeatedly declared that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and that acquiring nuclear weapons would go against Islamic principles.”
Avoiding War: While both sides have engaged in what Mousavian calls “tough rhetoric,” he argues that “both leaders understand the devastating consequences of a military conflict, not only for their respective nations but for the broader Middle East.”
