US President Donald Trump is losing credibility on Iran, according to Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the US-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. In a special interview with Al Jazeera published on August 3, 2026, Parsi said Trump’s conduct had become a “tiring pattern” involving severe threats followed by a retreat from that position.

Parsi said Trump first issues frightening threats of destructive attacks, then steps back while presenting the move as his own achievement. According to the analyst, Trump seeks to frame the outcome as though the other side had backed down, leading him to refrain from an attack. Parsi nevertheless viewed a retreat and renewed space for diplomacy more positively than the start of a disastrous war or further escalation of conflict.

However, Parsi cautioned that the situation cannot continue indefinitely. He voiced deep concern about the future of negotiations, saying repeated reversals could completely destroy their credibility. He added that commitment to any agreement could then be questioned, as could the acceptability of proposals or concessions made in talks. Trump’s threats themselves could lose significance and credibility through repeated changes of position.