Donald Trump is rushing to escape the catastrophic war on Iran that he and Benjamin Netanyahu started four months ago, according to columnist Simon Jenkins. Writing in The Guardian, Jenkins argues that the freshly signed ceasefire deal is a win for Tehran, not Washington. The agreement includes sanctions relief, a $300bn rebuilding fund, and a US promise not to interfere in Iran's internal affairs. Jenkins describes this as a 'major win' for Iran, though he notes the next 60 days of negotiations will be tortuous.
Jenkins suggests Trump has soured on Israel, criticising Netanyahu's bombing of Lebanon. Trump reportedly said: 'You don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody.' Despite this, US and Israeli forces have killed over 3,300 Iranians, including more than 100 children in a girls' school. Jenkins accuses Trump of breaking his 2016 pledge to avoid foreign interventions, driven by the urge to display power.
The war's justification was thin, Jenkins writes, comparing it to the 2003 Iraq invasion. Trump claimed victory would come in 'four to five weeks', but the definition kept shifting. Jenkins argues the best outcome would be ending sanctions and opening Iran to commerce, which is more likely to dilute the regime's grip than bombing. He warns that isolation has driven Iran towards Russia and China, harming Western interests.
