LOS ANGELES (OC).–.President Donald Trump traded strikes with Iran after Iran fired missiles at U.S. assets in Kuwait and Bahrain, leaving peace talks in limbo, though Trump says they’re still going on. Oil trader weren’t too rattled by the recent attacks, settling today crue oil at $82 a barrel, continuing its downward slide back to historice norms of around $60 a barrel. Iran likes to trade blows with the U.S. to prove its capable of taking on what they refere to as the “Great Satan.” Trump hasn’t yet decided to sign on to any long-term peace deal waiting for Iran to agree that it will not pursue a nuclear weapon. Whether Iran agrees to Trump’s terms or not, their nuke program, for the time being, is in shambles afater the U.S. and Israel pummeled underground enrichment fackilites for weeks during the latest skirmish. At some point, the war has to end due to Iran’s economic and currency collapse.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has their go-around, bickering over Israeli’s policy going after Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. Trump blasted Netany6ahu for his tone defeafness, continuing to strike targets in southern Lebanon, causing Iran to balk at any peace plan. Whatever Netanyahu’s war with Hezbollah, Trump asked Netanyahu to shelve it for the time being so Iran cannot use it as an exuse to delay a peace deal. Whatever Netanyahu’s objections, he admitted that he and Trump have their differences but, in the end, agree on most major issues. Ending Israel’s battle with Hezbollah should help restart peace talks with Iran in Islamabad, where, finally, a deal can be done. If oil markets give any insights, it’s clear that they’re not too worried about peace talks getting back on track. Trump told the press that in time things will work out.
Iran wants to show the world that it can take on Trump without fear, leaving Iran proud of their resistance against U.S. attacks. Trump’s warnings about sending the Persian culture into oblivion have fallen on deaf ears with the mullah regime showing that kind of resilience that shows no signs of caving in. Trump’s goal should not be regime change but getting Iran to agree to basic things like opening up the Hormuz Strait. If the Hormuz Strait opens, oil price will continue to crater worldwide, reducing inflation and translating into lower pump prices, but more importantly, overall inflation currently hammering the U.S. and world economy. Whatever the current skirmishing, it doesn’t seem all too serious, with oild prices priced accordingly. Trump said that peace talks continue behind the scenes with an announcement coming at any time to end the war.
Stopping the Israeli war in Lebanon should got a long way in getting peace talks back on track. Iran wanted Trump to pay Iran war reparations, something that won’t happen anytime soon. Iran’s other unrealistic demand involved turning the Hormuz Strait into a turnpike where Iran can collect feeds, in the millions, on any ship it sees fit. Trump informed Iran that the Hormuz Strait was a global waterway, not something Iran owned. Turning the waterway into a turnpike would hammer every shipping company delivering its payload to global customers. Iran’s blockade was a terrorist act by the IRGC, positioned with armed swift boats to attack commercial ships transiting the Hormuz Strait. Every Arab Gulf State opposes Iran’s attempt to charge passage fees to commerecial shippers, knowing it ads to the cost of shipping and, more imporatnly, adds to inflation.
To end the Irian War, Trump can’t get everything he wants, especially when it comes to the nuke issue. He wanted Iran to agree to never create a nuclear weapons but, what country with nuclear enrichement technology would do something like that. Asking Iran to turn over its 1,000 stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, what country with nuclear capability would do something like that. Trump mabe be able to get Iran to let Russia keep Iran’s stockpile but that’s uncertain at best. Instead of focusing on the nuke issue, Trump should work with his team led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to get the Strait of Hormuz open by offering to end the blockade on Iranian ports and to end the punitive sanctions that have hampered Iran’s ability to sell its oil and natural gas in world markets. Iran’s economy and currency desperately needs the sanctions to end.
Trump has all the tools needed to end the war by un-freezing $12 billion in Iranian assets, stopping the blockade and ending the punitive economic sanctions. Trump doesn’t need to get any concessions now on nuke issues when Iran’s nuke program has been laregely decimated. Most nuclear experts don’t think Iran is anywhere near an A-bomb, Telling Netanyahu to end his current war in Lebanon sends the right signal to Iran’s mullahs that they’ve forced Trump and Netanyahu’s hand to stop attacking Hezbollah. Above all else, Iran needs to save face, show that it stood up to Trump and won concessions for the Persian nation. Trump only needs to make economic concessions to help Iran’s battered economy, something that appeals to the mullah regime. Iran faces 80% inflation and 700% devaluation of its rial currency, something that’s created economic disaster.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
