US President Donald Trump is ready to declare an end to the war with Iran even without a new nuclear agreement, provided Tehran fully opens the Strait of Hormuz, reports infohub.kz.
According to The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, the White House has in recent weeks focused primarily on restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiations on a broader agreement with Iran, including its nuclear program, have proven too complex.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the strait is already fully open, but as WSJ notes, these statements were premature.
Sources told the paper that Trump believes Iran's nuclear program has suffered such serious damage that Tehran will not be able to fully restore it during his presidency. The US president also expects that American intelligence will be able to detect any Iranian attempts to rebuild destroyed facilities or covertly move toward developing nuclear weapons.
Additionally, Washington believes that the threat of further US strikes will deter Tehran. The White House stated that the main US military objectives against Iran have been achieved. The administration's priority now is ensuring stable transit of energy resources through the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington intends to retain the option of new military action in case of Iranian attacks on ships.
On August 8, Iran announced additional demands for opening the Strait of Hormuz. Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said the US must lift the naval blockade, withdraw troops from the region, cancel sanctions against Iran, and pay compensation for damage caused during the conflict. These conditions have complicated Washington's plans to end the standoff.
"The Iranians fully believe that Trump wants to get out of the game and is focused on opening the strait, which is why they are playing hardball," Gregory Brew, an Iran expert at Eurasia Group, told WSJ.