LOS ANGELES (OC).–President Donald Trump dropped an unexpected line on his Truth Social platform saying that he wanted Iran and other Arab Gulf States to joine the 2019 Abraham Accords, recognizing Israel as a trading parter. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to bomb Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, Trump raised the thorny subject of Arab states joining the Abraham Accords. Trump added the Israel issue to divert attention from the real issue concerning Iran’s 1,000 pounds of 60% enriched uranium. Iran one said that its nuclear stockpile was not subject to negotiation but it looks now that Russia is willing to take the stockpile for safekeeping. If Trump gets Russia to take the Iranian stockpile, there’s a good chance, despite all the differences, that at deal is getting closer. Trump wants to say his deal stopped Iran from building an A-bomb.
When it comes to Israel, Netanyahu will follow whatever Trump says, including stopping his war with Hezbollah in Israel. Whether Iran or other Arab Gulf States decide to normalize relations with Israel is anyone’s guess. When it comes to the current negotiations, they’re all about ending Iranian sanctions, opening up Iranian ports and helping the Iranian economy and currency recover from its current crash. Trump main concern in any negotiation with Iran concerns its 1,000 pounds of 60% enriched uranium. Whether he gets Russia to take the stockpile, it doesn’t mean Iran could not reproduce it in the future. Iran considers his nuclear enrichment program as a sorrce of national price and its legal right. Trump wanted in his war started Feb. 28 to degrade Iran’s nuclear enrichment and ballistic missile program as much as possible before ending the conflict.
U.S. and Iran have a vested interest in ending the war for vastly different reasons. Iran wants to get its economy back and Trump wants to end the high global oil prices that have damaged his credibility with American voters. Heading to Midterm elections, it mighat already be too late to reverse the trend in approval ratings that have punished Trump for the spiraling gas prices. Opening up the Strait of Hormuz would prices, eventually lower all inflation making it difficult for the Federal Reserve Board to drop interest rates. With new Federal Reserve Board Chairman Kevin Warsh looks ahead to dropping the Federal Funds Rate as soon as possible. Former Fed ChaIrman Jerome Powell didn’t honor Trump’s wishes about dropping interest rates. When the Iran War ends, Warch will gladly lower rates at the earliest possible time.
Iranians have been vacillating daily hoping for a breakthrough only to be disappointed time and again about when the war would end. American citizens also have their share of frustrations listening to Trump talking about how close he is to a deal. Trump statements about Iran or the Arab Gulf States seeking to normalize with Israel throws one more distraction into a deal that’s already worked out with Iran. Members of Trump’s party like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) have already taken a hard line on Trump’s deal with Iran. Cruz think Trump has given too much away, especially on the nuclear issues, to cut a deal with Iran. But Trump knows that continuing the conflict has become counterproductive, knowing that the American public has suffered too long with inflated gas prices. Ending the war will automatically drop energy prices around the globe.
Iran told chif mediator Pakistanic Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Trump keeps changing the goal posts on ending war based on agreed upon issues. Iran’s mullah regime wants Trump to end the blockade on its ports, end sanctions preventing Iran from selling oil in world markets. Iran’s economy and currency has cratered under U.S. sanctions. All Arab Gulf States wants the Strait of Hormuz open for unimpeded travel Iran said in early talks that it wanted Trump to recognize its sovereignty over the 23-mile passage. Since the Feb. 28 war started, Iran’s elite Republican Guards Corps has been attacking commercial ships from Arab Gulf States having nothing to do with the U.S.-Israeli war. Iran’s mullah regime though if they attacked neutral Arab Gulf States they would pressure Trump into ending the war. Turns out they want regime change in Tehran.
Reports from U.S. and global media vacillate between having a peace deal in the works and having nothing at all. Too many different sources report that a deal is getting closer because Trump and Iran want to end the conflict. When it comes to Israel, Trump will tell Netanyahu what to do in Lebanon, namely, stop hitting Hezbollah positions. Iran wants its ships to leave port and deliver oil and natural gas to customers around the world. Trump wants the war to end to stop the hemorrhage to his approval ratings getting too close to the November Midterm elections. Ending he war would drop worldwide oil prices, forcing U.S. oil companies to start slashing pump prices. No one knows whether Trump will give diplomacy a chance or start bombing Iran again, surely to drive up already inflated gas prices. Eventually the war will end but no one knows when.
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.
