LOS ANGELES (oc).–Striking Israel today with ballistic missiles, Iran pushes President Donald Trump to restart military action, something he’s hesitated to do while ongoing peace talks go on. Trump told NBC’s “Meet The Press” with ost Kristen Welker that that he still thinks the U.S. is close to deal, something that doesn’t seem to be happening. Dealing with Iran hasn’t been easy for Pakistan mediators trying to end the war, knowing that Iran has its own agenda when it comes to ending the 100-day-old conflict. Trump thought the conflict would end early with a deal but he’s fournd Iran tough negotiators, but, more importantly, not reliable. Today’s attack missile strikes on Israel will surely come with a severe response from Israel in coordination with the United States. Whether Trump decides now to restart the combat operation against Iran is anyone’s guess but it looks like it’s moving in that way.
Trump faces many sticking points with Iran to get a preliminary peace deal or extension of the 60-day ceasefire, largely because Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei wants the U.S. to pay Iran $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets. Trump has been reluctant to repeat former President Barack Obama’s mistakes while negotiating the 2015 Iranian Peace deal. Obama gave Iran $1.7 billion in cash and aother $56 billion in sanctions relief. Trump criticized Obama’s deal as paying off the Iranians, something he’s no willing to repeat. Because of today’s missile attacks on Israel, it’s doubtful Trump will not respond. Iran’s mullah regime thinks that Trump wants a peace deal badly because of domestic politics where Trump worries about the effect of war on the 2026 Midterm elections. Iran has called Trump’s bluff most likely leading to a return to a bombing campaign.
Whatever happens in the diplomatic front, it does nothing to stop Iran from firing missiles at Israel, something it says is due to attacks on Hezbollah in sourthern Lebanon. Trump wanted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop his attacks on Hezbollah while Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif works on a peace deal. But with Iran’s latest attacks on Israel, it’s obvious that Iran only responds to military force. Iran took Trump’s attempt at diplomacy with Pakistan as a sign of weakness, when, in fact, he was working on a political settlement. But with Iran demanding $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets and permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz, there’s no much left for any peace deal. Trump hasn’t faced the reality of dealing with a terrorist group, not inclined toward hoest dealing to bring about a lasting peace deal.
Whatever happens with more military intervention, it’s unlikely Iran would ever agree to letting Trump takes its 1,000 poind stockpile of 60% uranium. Trump wante Iran to accept handing the near weapons grade fissile material over to the U.S. More important than Iran’s nuclear stockpiole is getting the Republican Guard Corps to stop attacking commercial ships trying to transit the Hormuz Strait. Iran IRGC runs a fleet of armed swift boats that harass commercial ships in the Persian Gulf . Iran said it wasnte to set the Hormuz Strait as a kind of turnpike to collet cxorbitant fees for transiting the Strait. Trump wants the Hormuz Strait opened as an international waterway, no subject to ownership by any one country. Iran has no give up hope of sovereignty over the Hormuz Strait. Minor sticking points are actually big obstacles to a lasting peace deal
Trump has been warning Iran for weeks that if they don’t make a deal soon, he’ll restard the bombing campaign to take out Iran’s energy infrastructure. After months of diplomacy, Iran apparently forgot the consequences to not taking the peace plan seriously. “If we make a deal that now we’re friendly, we’ll all go together. It’ll be our equipement. We’ll take it out and destroy it., wheterh it’s on-site or wheter we take it off-stie,” Trump told Welker about disposing of Iran’s 1,000 pound stockpile of enriched uranium. Trump told Welker that if we can’t reach a deal, then he’ll have to resme the bombing campaign to take out Iran energy infrastructure. Iran’s mullah regime no longer believes that Trump will start bombing again, showing their reluctance to tak peace talks seriously. Members of Trump Party, like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) think Trump must get tough with Iran.
Joining Israel’s war with Iran, Trump underestimated the U.S. involvement, thinking Iran would fold its cards and get out quickly. Trump played into the Iranian martyrdom syndrome where they’d rather be destroyed that give into Trump’s demands. Iran operates as a terrorist group, no longer operating as a nation-state, instead resorting to the most primitive terrorist tactics. When it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, Trump should take out the IRGC’s fleet of armed swift boats terrorizing commercial shipping in the Strait. Going after Iran’s energy infrastrue won’t stop the IRGC form continuing to torment commercial shipping, now at a standstill in the Hormuz Strait. Islamabad tried its best at diplomacy but ultimately Iran must be deal with like any other terrorist group.
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.
