One of the most significant obstacles to any durable agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States is the divergence of their strategic red lines. While Washington has, over the past two decades, consistently sought to make Iran’s missile capabilities, military capacity, and regional influence part of the negotiation agenda, Tehran has considered these areas non-negotiable components of national security and deterrence, refusing to discuss them. The result has been a persistent deadlock, one that has not only hindered broader agreements but, particularly over the past year, has contributed to heightened tensions and even the risk of military confrontation. The central question, therefore, is whether a pathway exists to overcome this deadlock—one that neither requires Iran to compromise its core red lines nor ignores the concerns of the other side.

The answer may be found in the historical experience of arms control among major powers. During the Cold War, despite unprecedented ideological, political, and military rivalry, the United States and the Soviet Union gradually recognized that an unchecked arms race could threaten both parties’ security. Consequently, a series of arms control agreements emerged, among the most notable of which were the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). These agreements were not designed to eliminate the opposing side’s military capabilities but rather to strike a balance between maintaining deterrence and curbing the uncontrolled escalation of the arms race. In essence, the fundamental principle was that sustainable security is achieved not through eliminating the adversary’s power but through regulating competition and managing disputes.

This experience can offer valuable lessons for Iran-U.S. relations. While the Middle Eastern strategic environment differs significantly from the global context of the Cold War, the underlying principle remains: it........

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