Trump's Iran conundrum
US President Donald Trump has secured a welcome Middle East diplomatic breakthrough with an agreement for Hamas militants to disarm, but remains mired in the conflict with Iran, searching for an exit strategy that continues to elude him. After five months of war, Trump's room for maneuver seems extremely limited, and he gives the impression of increasingly making up his plans as he goes along.
On Saturday evening, US President Donald Trump announced he would halt military strikes against Iran, pending a potential deal. The Middle Eastern allies had reportedly reached an agreement to open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran's nuclear threat. Trump claimed this deal would benefit the world and Iran's future prosperity. Israel had agreed to collaborate with the US in striving for this agreement.
Prior to this announcement, Trump had previously threatened to resume heavy military strikes to compel Iran to negotiate. The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran began on February 28 and aimed to dismantle Iran's missile capabilities, prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and halt its support for allied armed groups.
However, the stated goals and timelines for the conflict have frequently changed. An interim deal was reached in mid-June to halt the fighting, but it fell apart quickly as Iran resumed attacks on shipping in the Hormuz Strait. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in a call with Trump, expressed concerns about the US potentially escalating the conflict.
Saudi Arabia had joined the US in attacking Iranian-backed militias in Iraq but urged the two nations to resume negotiations for an end to the war. Iranian military officials dismissed Trump's claim of seeking to halt attacks as a "new lie," warning of potential consequences for destabilizing actions. Trump believed US negotiators, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, could reach a deal with Iran.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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