AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Al Mayadeen, in an analysis by Mazen Al-Najjar, examined the current state of U.S. diplomacy as an example of declining credibility in international relations. The analysis emphasized that while America has not lost its power, it has lost three fundamental components: credibility, consistency, and institutional discipline—factors essential for being taken seriously in international negotiations.
The analysis begins with the end of the first ceasefire period and Donald Trump's decision to extend it indefinitely with Iran—a decision that contradicts his previous statements expressing reluctance to extend the ceasefire.
The author views this change not as a tactic, but as a clear sign of a new pattern of decision-making in U.S. foreign policy: a pattern in which positions are announced through the president's personal, immediate, and sometimes contradictory statements, rather than through official, structured diplomatic channels.
The analysis, citing the views of American political scientist John Mearsheimer and American author Paul Grenier, emphasizes that this pattern is not limited to a single decision. According to the report, the potential second round of U.S.-Iran negotiations in Islamabad has also been marked by confusion. On one hand, Iranian officials have rejected negotiations under pressure, and on the other hand, the presence of the American side has been shrouded in ambiguity. Messages are issued, then retracted, and subsequently violated—a situation that, instead of a classic diplomatic process, has created a shifting and unpredictable scene.
The analysis emphasizes that the seriousness of diplomacy arises not from style but from structure. Countries are evaluated based on their ability to make lasting commitments—a capability that was once a hallmark of the United States but is now weakened. America has shifted from an institutional, cumulative diplomacy to a personal, ad hoc, and reversible system.
According to the report, in July 2025, over 1,350 employees of the U.S. State Department, including career diplomats, were fired, bringing total staff reductions to about 3,000. Additionally, over 100 ambassadorial posts remain vacant, and nearly half of U.S. embassies lack ambassadors. This situation not only demonstrates management weakness but also sends a clear message to foreign governments that diplomacy is no longer a primary tool of American power.
The analysis then addresses the issue of "collapse of reliable commitments." The U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is cited as a clear example of this situation—an agreement reached after years of multilateral negotiation but discarded with a change of administration, demonstrating that U.S. commitments are dependent on domestic political cycles. As a result, foreign parties no longer see an agreement with the United States as a lasting commitment but rather as temporary and changeable
The analysis also points to the collapse of arms control frameworks, writing: "The U.S. withdrawal from treaties such as the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and the Open Skies Treaty, as well as the expiration of the New START treaty in February 2026, has left the world's two largest nuclear powers without binding restrictions."
Another section of the article refers to the "theatricalization of negotiations." According to analysts, negotiations are no longer a real process but have become a theatrical stage where media messages and propaganda positions overshadow substantive content. An example is the recent U.S.-Iran negotiations, which, after ending inconclusively, were quickly followed by actions such as a naval blockade.
The author then notes the changing behavior of other countries, writing: "Due to America's reduced predictability, some countries have sought to create independent diplomatic paths. Examples include the revival of Iran-Saudi relations with Chinese mediation, and the active role of countries such as Qatar, Egypt, and Oman in regional mediation."
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