Trump sets timeline for ending Iran war - WSJ
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump told his associates that he wants to avoid a prolonged war in Iran and hopes to end the conflict within the coming weeks, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Timeline for ending the war
In recent days, Trump has privately told advisers that he believes the conflict is in its final stage. He urged them to stick to the publicly announced 4–6 week timeline.
Several sources say that White House officials had planned to hold a summit between the US leader and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing in mid-May, expecting the war to be over before the meeting began.
However, Trump’s problem is that he has no easy options for ending the war, and peace negotiations are still at an early stage.
Trump’s fluctuations
The WSJ reports that during Trump’s conversations with political allies abroad, his attention sometimes shifted to other topics.
These included the upcoming midterm elections, the decision to send immigration officers to airports, and efforts to push through Congress bills tightening voter participation rules.
According to one source, Trump told an associate that the war is distracting him from other priorities.
At the same time, sources warn that it is often difficult to predict what decision Trump might make regarding the war. They note that as the conflict has evolved, the US leader has wavered behind the scenes between diplomacy and escalating strikes.
Some people in Trump’s circle are urging him to take a tougher approach, saying that regime change in Iran could define his legacy.
What Trump may shift to next
The US president appears ready to move on to the next major challenge, another person who spoke with him said. However, Trump did not specify what that might be.
Some allies hope he could shift focus to overthrowing the communist regime in Cuba.
At the same time, his closest advisers want him to focus on the most pressing issue facing voters: rising living costs, which have worsened following the war.
What Trump is proposing
This week, Donald Trump signaled that he is once again interested in reaching a diplomatic settlement to the conflict. In particular, he backed away from threats made over the weekend to strike Iranian power plants.
Middle Eastern mediators have exchanged initial proposals from Tehran and Washington, and US officials say they are open to further discussions in the coming days. At the same time, the US is increasing pressure on Iran by deploying additional troops to the Middle East.
An administration official said that one idea Trump has floated to his advisers is securing US access to part of Iran’s oil as part of any ceasefire agreement. However, the source added that no concrete plans are currently being developed.
Trump is prepared to deploy US troops onto Iranian territory but is hesitant to do so, partly because it could undermine his goal of ending the war as quickly as possible.
Officials say he is concerned that the number of American troops killed or wounded could rise if the war continues. So far, about 3,000 Americans have been injured and 13 killed.
At the same time, Trump has ordered the military to continue applying pressure on Iran. The Pentagon is sending thousands of ground troops to the Middle East to provide the president with options.
Once additional soldiers and Marines are in position, Trump could quickly order a targeted raid either on Iran itself or on one of the islands along its southern coast.
WSJ’s conclusion
In summary, The Wall Street Journal writes that the US and Iran are still far from reaching a ceasefire agreement, and Tehran continues to reject direct negotiations with Washington.
Without a deal or a decisive military victory, Trump will likely face a continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which would keep destabilizing the global energy market.
For its part, Israel, which views threats from Iran as existential, may continue its operations without US involvement. Gulf countries, which have endured weeks of attacks, are also considering retaliatory measures.
Ending the war against Iran
Yesterday, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said that Washington is wrapping up Operation Epic Fury against Iran. According to him, the operation will end soon and strictly on schedule.
In addition, overnight, US President Donald Trump said that Iran wants to reach a deal. He explained all public denials by saying that Tehran is afraid to state this directly due to fears of elimination.
