According to a video from 5:35 on NBC News, on Monday May 18, 2026, Senator Lindsey Graham gave a detailed explanation of why he believes diplomatic negotiations with Iran have effectively failed, pointing to what he described as a repeated pattern of the Iranian government agreeing to terms during talks only to reverse its position the following day, making any durable agreement impossible under the current regime.
Graham’s assessment came in response to a direct question from the interviewer about whether he believes it is time for the United States to resume military action against Iran.
Rather than giving a simple yes or no, Graham first laid out the diplomatic case for why he believes further negotiations are unlikely to produce results, rooting his argument in what he characterized as a consistent and deliberate pattern of behavior by the Iranian side.
The senator said he had spoken with the CIA director and found no evidence to suggest that the people currently running the Iranian government are any different in their fundamental intentions from previous administrations.
He argued that the current leadership remains committed to the same objectives — threatening Israel, pursuing regional dominance, and developing nuclear capabilities — and that this has not changed despite the talks.
In his words, Senator Graham said, “I think you can’t get a coherent answer against Iran. They agree to things and the next day they back up.
“President Trump is very frustrated. What to do next — I think it’s going to be very difficult to get a deal with the current regime. Any evidence they’ve changed?” he said.
Graham argued that continuing to pursue a deal under these conditions would not only be futile but potentially harmful, as it would give Iran additional time to recover and rebuild while the United States remains in a holding pattern….Read_More…