On Wednesday evening, as Donald Trump left the White House to attend a show for Les Misérables , members of the White House press corps sparked yet another controversy.
When journalists queried about the State Department’s abrupt directive for non-essential embassy personnel and their dependents to leave the Middle East, Trump merely responded with "you'll discover shortly" before climbing into his armored vehicle, 'The Beast'.
Several accounts suggest that Israel has opted to proceed with military intervention against Iran , Trump’s response only boosted speculation that the region will soon witness a military strike that the US publicly opposes, which could drag the region into further conflict.
CBS News reported That Trump was alerted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an impending Israeli operation aimed at disrupting the negotiations happening between Washington and Tehran. Should this attack proceed, it might introduce a fresh complication into the dynamics between the two leaders.
Two months back, during a shared press event at the White House, Netanyahu expressed frustration when Trump declared his plan to initiate direct negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program. After removing the U.S. from the globally supported Iran nuclear accord in his initial term, Trump vowed to establish a far more stringent pact with Tehran aimed at entirely preventing Iran from achieving nuclear weapon status.
However, negotiations have come to a halt, and although the White House plans to send Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman this Sunday, Trump stated The New York Post This week, his confidence in reaching an agreement has diminished.
Since taking office, Trump’s statements regarding Iran have spanned various extremes. Occasionally, these contrasting views can be seen within a brief period of time. For instance, in February, after signing an executive order reinstating the "maximum pressure" strategy against Tehran, he expressed being conflicted over the documents on his desk.
Everybody is asking me to endorse it. I will," he stated, promptly adding that he was "not pleased about doing so." On one side, he mentioned, "we must remain resilient and resolute." However, regarding the warnings included in his directive, he commented, "I trust they won’t have to be employed extensively at all.
During the same occasion, Trump stated that he had given "orders" for Iran to face “destruction” if he is killed following instructions from Tehran. Last year, The Department of Justice charged four individuals with conspiring to assassinate Trump prior to the election. One of them stated that he was instructed to carry out the assassination by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, which is the nation's elite military division.
"If they went ahead with that, they would be wiped out," cautioned Trump, informing journalists that "it would signify the end." Actually, it would be up to his successor to decide the extent of the reaction, if one was deemed necessary at all, and there was no guarantee that Trump’s directives would be adhered to.
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Considering Trump’s inconsistent declarations, it would be justified for Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to feel uncertain regarding Washington’s exact stance. Additionally, Iranian leadership might consider Trump’s inability to deliver on pledged peace agreements as an indicator of his administration’s approach. Ukraine and in Gaza As new proof that the United States' president often makes grand promises but fails to follow through when it involves resolving conflicts.
The Iranians remain extremely angry over the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani the nation's highest-ranking military leader was eliminated in Baghdad under President Trump's directives via a U.S. drone attack in September 2020.
Trump’s declining trust in the continuing discussions aligns with his usual restlessness when the intricacies of peacemaking overshadow his desire for swift, readily negotiated agreements.
He takes pride in his role as a president who has brought an end to conflicts instead of initiating new ones; however, during challenging times, Trump frequently presents himself as someone willing to surrender. Alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he has issued numerous warnings about discontinuing attempts to establish a 30-day truce between Russia and Ukraine. He also seems prepared to relinquish efforts concerning Iran.
However, should an Israeli military operation take place, Iran might wonder if the United States' connection with Netanyahu is truly as tense as certain Washington-based analysts claim.