When Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini accepted a ceasefire with Iraq in 1988, he compared the decision to drinking a chalice of poison. He did not do so because he suddenly embraced peace. He did it because continuing the war threatened the survival of the Islamic Republic.

Nearly four decades later, Iran’s rulers still follow the same logic. They compromise when they must, retreat when necessary, and negotiate when pressure becomes unbearable. But their objective remains unchanged: preserving the regime at all costs.