The Islamic Republic of Iran’s 180-degree turn regarding the Trump administration was executed by Iran’s ayatollahs with acrobatic finesse and managed to raise some eyebrows.

Its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had stated that Iran will not be negotiating with “bullies,” alluding to President Donald Trump’s public commitment to stop Iran’s nuclear pursuit. Yet, less than a month later, Iranian representatives came to the table.

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff held talks with an Iranian delegation in Oman and Rome. It included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who made a surprising counteroffer to the United States to construct 19 new nuclear-power plants in Iran. The war drums suddenly morphed into potential business opportunities.

It seems that Iran concluded that for Trump, confrontation might simply mean an invitation to negotiate.

Since taking office for the second time, Trump has indicated that he would take action on Iran. “Something’s going to happen very soon,” Trump threatened at one point, waving the big stick in the form of a potential military strike on the nuclear facilities, saying this could “solve the problem.” He also reinstated the “maximum pressure” campaign that was a hallmark of his first term in office, moved B-2…