John Bolton to Newsmax: Iran Thinks It Has Upper Hand Ahead of Talks (Connecting the Dots: John Bolton, Mark Halperin, Newsmax, Morton H. Halperin, Iran & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

John Bolton to Newsmax: Iran Thinks It Has Upper Hand Ahead of Talks (Connecting the Dots: John Bolton, Mark Halperin, Newsmax, Morton H. Halperin, Iran & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

By Newsmax Wires    |   Friday, 10 April 2026 05:39 PM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/john-bolton-iran-islamabad/2026/04/10/id/1252542/

John Bolton told Newsmax on Friday that high-stakes U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad could have far-reaching consequences for global commerce and security, warning that Tehran might believe it holds leverage.

"Well, these are tough talks," Bolton, who served as national security adviser in President Donald Trump's first term, told "American Agenda." "I mean, the Iranians think they have the upper hand. I think they sense that Trump wants to get out of the conflict. He's worried about price at the pump of gasoline in this country."

The talks come amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf and ongoing concerns about Iran's regional ambitions, particularly its influence over crucial maritime routes. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, handles a significant portion of the world's oil shipments, making any disruption there a potential global economic shock.

Bolton stressed that any move by Iran to assert control over the strait would mark a dangerous precedent.

"But if we allow any Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, which violates centuries of allowing any commercial vessel to transit it in peace, if they insist on a tolling system or any kind of enforcement mechanism like that, it will have a negative effect, not just on the Gulf countries and the world economy, but on every other strait, every other geographic chokepoint around the world," he said. "There's a lot at stake here."

The talks in Islamabad come amid a two-week ceasefire that halted attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iranian political leadership and military infrastructure. Bolton, a longtime hawk on Iran, suggested that perceptions of U.S. resolve could play a crucial role in how Tehran approaches the discussions.

Connecting the Dots:

Mark Halperin In 2010, Halperin joined MSNBC, becoming the senior political analyst and a contributor, the founding editor for Bloomberg Politics, Morton H. Halperin’s son and is currently a host and commentator for Newsmax TV.

Harold E. Ford Jr. is a political commentator at MSNBC and was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Morton H. Halperin is a senior adviser for the Open Society Foundations, Newsmax’s Mark Halperin’s father, a director at the ONE Campaign, was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, served with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank). 

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was a supporter for the Center for American Progress and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Warren E. Buffett is an adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and Howard G. Buffett & Susan A. Buffett’s father.

Howard G. Buffett is Warren E. Buffett’s son and a director at the ONE Campaign. 

Susan A. Buffett is Warren E. Buffett’s daughter and a director at the ONE Campaign. 

Morton H. Halperin is a director at the ONE Campaign, Newsmax’s Mark Halperin’s father and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Lawrence H. Summers is a director at the ONE Campaign and was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Sheryl K. Sandberg is a director at the ONE Campaign and was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a director at the ONE Campaign and was a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Helene D. Gayle is a director at the ONE Campaign and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP. 

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Mark A. Angelson was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and a director at Human Rights First.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Human Rights First. 

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and his divorce lawyer was William D. Zabel.

William D. Zabel was a trustee at the Foundation to Promote Open Society, George Soros’s divorce lawyer and is the chair for Human Rights First.

Binta N. Brown is a director at Human Rights First and a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

John R. Bolton was of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and the national security adviser for the Donald Trump's first Administration.

James D. Zirin was a director at the Human Rights First and is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

David D. Hiller is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP.

Thomas A. Cole is a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Charles W. Douglas is a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Newton N. Minow was a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Morton H. Halperin  was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, served with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), is a senior adviser for the Open Society Foundations, Newsmax’s Mark Halperin’s father, a director at the ONE Campaign.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank). 

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was a supporter for the Center for American Progress and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the International Rescue Committee.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Harold E. Ford Jr. was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and is a political commentator at MSNBC.

Mark Halperin In 2010, Halperin joined MSNBC, becoming the senior political analyst and a contributor, the founding editor for Bloomberg Politics, Morton H. Halperin’s son and is currently a host and commentator for Newsmax TV.

Bloomberg Politics is a division of Bloomberg LP.

Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder of Bloomberg LP and an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Michael J. Gerson was a director at the International Rescue Committee and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP. 

Newton N. Minow was a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the New America Foundation, the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Walter Russell Mead is a director at the New America Foundation and an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

R. James Woolsey is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society. 

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

Michael J. Gerson was a director at the International Rescue Committee and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP. 

Newton N. Minow was a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Resources: Past Research

Dr. Morton Halperin – J Street Education Fund (Connecting the Dots: J Street, Morton Halperin, The Open Society Foundations, Newsmax’s Mark Halperin, Rhonda (Randi) Weingarten, The ONE Campaign, MSNBC, ACLU, The Carnegie & Soros Funding) (Past Research on ONE Campaign, Mark Halperin & Morton Halperin)

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/06/dr-morton-halperin-j-street-education.html

Senior DOJ Officials Pushing for Bolton to Be Charged This Week (Connecting the Dots: James Comey, HSBC Holdings plc, John Bolton, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Covington & Burling, LLP, Letitia James, The Committee for Economic Development & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on John Bolton)

Friday, September 26, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/09/senior-doj-officials-pushing-for-bolton.html

Trump Says He Is in No Rush to Attack Iran over Nuclear Program (Connecting the Dots: United Against Nuclear Iran, Iran, The New York Times & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Iran)

Thursday, April 17, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/04/trump-says-he-is-in-no-rush-to-attack.html  

TIAA Our Leadership Team (Past Research on the Carnegie Corporation New York)

Saturday, October 8, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/10/tiaa-our-leadership-team.html