Trump’s Iran War Is Going Backward

On Saturday, a prominent Iranian security official presented a list of demands to the US, which indicates the likelihood of a prolonged conflict. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, urged the US to abolish sanctions, reimburse Iran for war damages, unconditionally release frozen Iranian assets, and halt attacks on regional allies.

The US has yet to respond to these requests, which echo those made in the interim ceasefire deal signed in June. Back then, the Trump administration pledged to fully lift sanctions only if a deal was reached on Iran’s nuclear program, a key concern in Iran’s quest for independence and self-determination in a long history of external meddling.

While a temporary ceasefire was achieved, it was short-lived. Iran’s forces subsequently blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil shipping route, alleging a US breach of the June agreement due to Israel’s ongoing attacks on Lebanon. The fighting escalated, spreading to Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen. An opening for reopening the Strait of Hormuz emerged with reports of a potential agreement between Iran and Oman over a new transit route through the strategic passage.

However, Iran’s conditions for the Strait’s reopening, shared with the US by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, suggest that Oman’s agreement is insufficient without US concessions. "The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz depends on several conditions, including the US compensating for its violations of the Islamabad Memorandum," Araghchi stated, according to the New York Times, referencing the June interim deal.

The renewed war has resulted in thousands of deaths in Iran and 18 US service members, as well as hundreds of additional US personnel injuries. Moreover, the conflict has jeopardized regional stability by targeting civilian infrastructure, such as water and energy facilities and food storage sites. At this juncture, the only certainty seems to be that the conflict lacks a clear resolution.