Trump’s “premature optimism” in nuclear talks could help Iran supercharge its arsenal and destabilize the Middle East, Israeli security expert says.
Dr. Benny Sabti of INSS warns that Trump’s direct talks with Iran may embolden the regime, accelerate its nuclear ambitions, and weaken Israel’s security edge.
Is Trump walking into a trap with Tehran? That’s the warning from Dr. Benny Sabti, a top Iran analyst at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), who is sounding the alarm over Washington’s newest nuclear diplomacy push with the Islamic Republic.
In an exclusive with Maariv, Sabti torched President Trump’s “premature optimism,” calling it not only a diplomatic blunder but a strategic risk to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the broader Middle East. “You don’t call talks successful after two hours,” Sabti fumed. “You’re signaling weakness—and Iran knows how to exploit that.”
The core concern: Trump may be laying the groundwork for a return to the very nuclear deal he pulled out of in 2018, without full dismantlement, without iron-clad inspections, and with potential sanctions relief that could flood Iran’s economy with foreign currency. That, Sabti warns, would revive the regime—and bankroll its terror proxies.
While Iran plays hardball, the U.S. still hasn’t eased sanctions, but the regime senses a win. “They’re calculating,” Sabti said. “Partial relief is enough to reactivate Iran’s global trade machine. Once that happens, there’s no turning back. You’re not weakening Iran—you’re rescuing it.”
Even more dangerous is the false theater unfolding in Iran’s parliament, which Sabti dismisses as staged political drama. “There’s no real disagreement in Tehran,” he warned. “It’s all for show. The regime isn’t compromising—it’s stalling.”
Sabti also took aim at Trump’s reliance on Oman as mediator, noting the sultanate’s long history of cozy ties with Tehran. “You can’t win a war of pressure if your middleman is working both sides,” he said.
Bottom line? Sabti doesn’t believe diplomacy will stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “You have to go all in—sanctions, sabotage, even military options. This ‘a little here, a little there’ approach? It’s suicide.”
And for Israel? “If the Iranians believe they’ve outplayed the Americans, they will sprint toward the bomb. And we’ll all pay for it.”
