Over the Memorial Day weekend President Trump and key members of his Cabinet rushed back to Washington and speculation was rife that some big development in the war with Iran was imminent.
The President seemed to encourage that view through a post to his Truth Social account:
It seemed like no sooner did the President hit “send” on his post to Truth Social than Iran directly rejected Mr. Trump's claim that Hormuz "will be opened" as part of a "largely negotiated" agreement.
They harshly rejected the statement he had just posted on Truth Social, saying President Trump's claim is "far from the truth" and that Hormuz "will remain under Iranian management" with Iran retaining exclusive permanent authority over route, timing, method, and permits, per Fars.
Iran also claimed that the nuclear file has not been discussed and that American officials themselves have told Iran in multiple messages that "Trump's tweets are primarily for domestic American propaganda and media consumption" and "should be disregarded." The "largely negotiated" deal claim therefore has no basis in reality according to the Iranians.
Iran has maintained these same peace terms since March. Accepting them now would be a significant strategic defeat for the United States.
However, the statement from the Iranian regime characterizing President Trump’s Truth Social post that a peace deal was on the horizon as “far from the truth” may not have been the smartest move on their part, and getting caught laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz thereby violating the ceasefire wasn’t very smart either.
U.S. forces conducted “defensive” airstrikes overnight on Iranian mine-laying vessels and surface-to-air sites, engaging in the first direct strikes since early May.
While President Trump drew a hard line about the provisions of the ceasefire, Iran’s Supreme Leader raged, demanding America abandon our bases in the Gulf: “The hands of time will not turn back” he allegedly said.
In response, Trump made it crystal clear on Truth Social: Hand over the enriched uranium, now, or we’ll handle it. Marco Rubio reinforced the message: The Strait stays OPEN. No tolls. No games. Immediately.
So, is a peace deal on the near horizon or not?
It’s not, but the Iranians may choose to make it look like one is as part of their larger strategy of defeating President Trump’s Republicans in the coming midterm elections. The Iranians know us better than we know them, and they are gambling that if they stall around long enough either Trump will agree to a bad deal that keeps their regime and its nuclear weapons program intact, or he will lose his present shaky congressional majority and their allies in the Democratic Party will tie up President Trump in endless investigations, impeachments of him and his Cabinet, and other politically destructive assaults on the administration.
Our take is there will be no peace deal without a major change in the government of Iran, because the leaders of the existing Islamic Republic of Iran will never agree to one that meets the basic American war aims of a nuclear-free Iran and a free and open Strait of Hormuz, let alone agree to the dismantling of their long-range missile program and support for terrorists around the globe.
The President must not allow the Ayatollahs running the Islamic Republic of Iran to win by stalling and putting his back against the November midterm elections. The time to finish them, and their regime is now.
The President seemed to encourage that view through a post to his Truth Social account:
"I am in the Oval Office at the White House where we just had a very good call with President Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of The United Arab Emirates, Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and Minister Ali al-Thawadi, of Qatar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, of Pakistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of Türkiye, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, of Egypt, King Abdullah II, of Jordan, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, of Bahrain, concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all things related to a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE. An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed. Separately, I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel, which, likewise, went very well. Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly. In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened."
It seemed like no sooner did the President hit “send” on his post to Truth Social than Iran directly rejected Mr. Trump's claim that Hormuz "will be opened" as part of a "largely negotiated" agreement.
They harshly rejected the statement he had just posted on Truth Social, saying President Trump's claim is "far from the truth" and that Hormuz "will remain under Iranian management" with Iran retaining exclusive permanent authority over route, timing, method, and permits, per Fars.
Iran also claimed that the nuclear file has not been discussed and that American officials themselves have told Iran in multiple messages that "Trump's tweets are primarily for domestic American propaganda and media consumption" and "should be disregarded." The "largely negotiated" deal claim therefore has no basis in reality according to the Iranians.
Iran has maintained these same peace terms since March. Accepting them now would be a significant strategic defeat for the United States.
However, the statement from the Iranian regime characterizing President Trump’s Truth Social post that a peace deal was on the horizon as “far from the truth” may not have been the smartest move on their part, and getting caught laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz thereby violating the ceasefire wasn’t very smart either.
U.S. forces conducted “defensive” airstrikes overnight on Iranian mine-laying vessels and surface-to-air sites, engaging in the first direct strikes since early May.
While President Trump drew a hard line about the provisions of the ceasefire, Iran’s Supreme Leader raged, demanding America abandon our bases in the Gulf: “The hands of time will not turn back” he allegedly said.
In response, Trump made it crystal clear on Truth Social: Hand over the enriched uranium, now, or we’ll handle it. Marco Rubio reinforced the message: The Strait stays OPEN. No tolls. No games. Immediately.
So, is a peace deal on the near horizon or not?
It’s not, but the Iranians may choose to make it look like one is as part of their larger strategy of defeating President Trump’s Republicans in the coming midterm elections. The Iranians know us better than we know them, and they are gambling that if they stall around long enough either Trump will agree to a bad deal that keeps their regime and its nuclear weapons program intact, or he will lose his present shaky congressional majority and their allies in the Democratic Party will tie up President Trump in endless investigations, impeachments of him and his Cabinet, and other politically destructive assaults on the administration.
Our take is there will be no peace deal without a major change in the government of Iran, because the leaders of the existing Islamic Republic of Iran will never agree to one that meets the basic American war aims of a nuclear-free Iran and a free and open Strait of Hormuz, let alone agree to the dismantling of their long-range missile program and support for terrorists around the globe.
The President must not allow the Ayatollahs running the Islamic Republic of Iran to win by stalling and putting his back against the November midterm elections. The time to finish them, and their regime is now.
