On Wednesday, the US and Iran signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding, tentatively marking the end of a war that started in February.
Across the political spectrum voices noted that the deal was favorable for Iran. Some, especially on the right, emphasized that the US did not resolve the issue with Iran’s nuclear program, which remains a major threat to national security.
A USA Today (Lean Left) contributor wrote, “To be clear, Iran suffered enormous losses…But military defeat and diplomatic defeat are not the same thing. Iran understands this better than most. Despite its losses, Tehran retained two powerful sources of leverage and used both to shape the outcome. The first was Hezbollah. For four decades, Hezbollah has been one of Iran’s most valuable strategic investments: a heavily armed proxy positioned on Israel’s border that allows Tehran to threaten Israel without bearing the full costs of direct confrontation…The second leverage point was the Strait of Hormuz. As its military position deteriorated, Tehran turned the world’s most important energy chokepoint into a key bargaining chip.”
The National Review Editors (Right) said, “Nothing in either Iran’s actions or public statements has justified the Pollyannaish talk of Trump and Vance…Until very recently, Trump was clear-eyed about Iran. He shouldn’t let his desire to extract himself from the military conflict he initiated lead to delusional thinking about the nature of our longtime enemy.”
A New York Times Opinion (Left) piece said, “Along the way, the conflict exposed fundamental shortcomings in the U.S. military-industrial base, a vulnerability that analysts inside and outside the administration worry will embolden adversaries to act more aggressively. The unresolved issue of Iran’s near bomb-grade uranium, which the regime still controls, leaves American national security interests even further exposed. This singular strategic defeat overshadows the U.S. military’s tactical victories since the war started on Feb. 28…But Tehran’s resilience in the face of this onslaught has been equally remarkable. Despite the losses, the U.S. intelligence assessments in May estimated that Iran’s military retained about 70 percent of its missile stockpiles.”
In the Washington Examiner (Lean Right) a piece read, “President Donald Trump‘s memorandum of understanding with Iran leaves the big-ticket item, Iran’s nuclear program, unresolved. Everything else counts as noise until that concern is addressed…The problem is Tehran doesn’t think Trump has the appetite to continue this showdown. This is not to say the war has been a failure. By striking Iran in the first place, Washington signaled that anti-American activity now carries a tangible cost. But pressing the regime with one hand while feeding it a reconstruction fund with the other undermines American strength.”
