One would think Iran would be happy with the new postwar reality.
After successfully using strikes on neighbors and threats against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to spook Donald Trump into halting his military campaign in April, the US president signed a memorandum of understanding that achieved none of the US-Israeli war aims, imposed a stop to Israel’s fight against Hezbollah, required no concessions on Iran’s nuclear program, and opened the door for billions of dollars of sanctions relief.
The regime in Tehran is reasonably secure, its proxies have survived, and after withstanding over a month of heavy fire, its regional position is stronger than it was before the war.
During negotiations, Iran’s leaders were able to bask in Trump calling them “very rational people” who are “nice to deal with.”
Now they seem to be doing everything they can to convince Trump they are anything but.
Trump’s main achievement with the MOU was getting the Iranians to agree to open Hormuz, but on July 7, Tehranstruck three commercial oil tankers in the vital strait, leading to US strikes against dozens of Iranian military sites.
Iran could have let the flare-up end there, but it escalated, launching missiles and drones that it said hit 85 US military sites in Bahrain and
Kuwait.
Published originally on July 14, 2026.
Read the full article at the Times of Israel.
