In what might be the most dramatic game of "are you sure you want to do this" in modern geopolitics, Iran basically called a timeout right before getting absolutely walloped, and Trump agreed to press pause. But only temporarily, and with the subtlety of a freight train.
As USA Journal reported, Trump took to social media Saturday to let everyone know that America was "locked and loaded" at levels of military power "not seen since World War II." So basically, the president went full caps lock on the entire Islamic Republic, which is exactly the kind of energy you want from someone with their finger near a very large red button.
So what convinced Trump to call off the fireworks? Iran, along with other Middle Eastern nations, reportedly asked nicely for a breather in exchange for immediately and completely opening the Strait of Hormuz and ending their nuclear threat. You know, just casual Saturday afternoon negotiations over the fate of global shipping lanes and nuclear proliferation. No big deal.
Trump agreed, but tacked on the condition that a deal needs to happen fast. "Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE," he wrote, sounding exactly like your boss on a Friday afternoon when the quarterly report still is not finished.
Here is where things get spicy, though. The administration had apparently been considering strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and power grid targets, not just military installations. That is a whole different ballgame from the targeted military operations that have been going on since July 7th.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly called Trump on Saturday and expressed some concerns about that level of escalation. MBS has his own reasons for wanting stability in the neighborhood, including oil prices and the general preference for not having a collapsed neighboring state creating chaos on his doorstep. Israel is also reportedly supportive of the deal framework, which matters quite a bit considering they are basically Iran's most immediate target.
But let us talk about the elephant in the room. This is literally the second time Iran has agreed to terms and used them to buy some breathing room. The first memorandum of understanding was signed back in June, and Iran violated it within weeks by resuming attacks on commercial ships in the Strait. That is when American strikes kicked off again on July 7th.
So to recap the pattern: Iran agrees to behave, Iran stops behaving, things explode, Iran asks for another chance. It is like watching someone promise to stop eating your leftovers from the office fridge and then getting caught red handed with your sandwich two weeks later.
Trump's conditions this time around are crystal clear: open the Strait completely, ditch the nuclear threat, and hammer out a deal quickly. The military hardware is ready, the diplomatic window is cracked open just barely, and Iran has been given precisely one more opportunity to actually follow through. Given last month's track record, Tehran might want to consider actually meaning it this time.
Read more conservative news commentary at: USA Journal News
