Former US national security adviser John Bolton has expressed strong criticism of President Trump’s approach to Iran and voiced doubts about his potential for reaching an agreement with Tehran during a recent episode of the Financial Times podcast, Swamp Notes.
Bolton mentioned that he supported US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities but also hinted at Trump’s personal motives behind his actions.
“I think what he’s aiming for is a Nobel Peace Prize campaign,” Bolton stated, reflecting on Trump’s earlier claims of success following the airstrike. “I thought he might receive it for his handling of the Ukraine-Russian situation, but that didn’t happen. Now, perhaps he sees a chance to win it here.”
Interestingly, a number of GOP lawmakers have recently taken steps to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, and, quite notably, the Pakistani government threw its support behind such a nomination last week.
Prior to the airstrike, Trump had remarked that he would never be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, asserting that he deserves recognition for America’s peace efforts in various conflicts, including those in Ukraine and Rwanda.
Bolton, known for his hawkish stance on Iran, strongly criticized Trump’s proposed strategies for attaining peace in the region. Reports suggest that the US is assisting in potentially accessing up to $30 billion for private nuclear initiatives, a claim Trump has denied.
“This is absurd,” Bolton remarked. “We don’t expect this to lead anywhere since countries like Iran are genuinely engaged in peaceful nuclear activities, whether observed by the IAEA or foreign intelligence, and what the Ayatollahs permit is a different matter altogether.”
After the airstrikes damaged a vital Iranian nuclear site, Trump intensified his rhetoric toward Iran, suggesting that these actions were meant to encourage negotiations for a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. He stated that should concerns over Iran’s nuclear program escalate, he might consider further bombing.
Bolton, who has been a critic of years of diplomatic attempts with Iran, including the Obama-era nuclear agreement, questioned Trump’s ability to successfully negotiate with the Iranian administration.
“When you’re dealing with such an ideology, it’s not merely a straightforward real estate deal in Manhattan,” he remarked.
He emphasized that any proposed plans for nuclear discussions with the US “will bear no results,” reiterating his stance even before the recent strikes between Israel and Iran. In his podcast appearance, he referred to the Iranian government as “a group of medieval religious fanatics.”
