The Limits of Belligerence: Why 'Iron Fist' Diplomacy Fails Iran John Limbert's words carry significant weight, given his experience as a US hostage in Tehran during the 1979 revolution and his later role as deputy assistant secretary of state for Iran.
His critique of Washington's approach to dealing with Tehran serves as a sobering reminder that bombast and bluster can only take diplomacy so far.
US leaders often believe that dropping more bombs will prompt Iranians to comply with their demands, but this approach is based on a flawed assumption.