Rabbit in the headlights Trump resorts to manufactured facesaving exit from Iran war
Rabbit in the headlights: Trump resorts to manufactured face-saving exit from Iran war
Tehran — Barely two weeks after launching a joint military operation with Israel—ostensibly aimed at regime change—the United States now finds itself sinking into a deepening quagmire of war with Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared convinced that by decapitating Iran’s political and military leadership, the country would quickly capitulate. That assumption has proven disastrously wrong.
Senior Iranian military commanders, including Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, and Major General Mohammad Pakpour, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), were killed on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli assault on February 28. Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was also martyred in the same strike targeting his office in Tehran.
Yet according to three sources cited by Reuters, U.S. intelligence assessments indicate that Iran’s leadership remains largely intact and is not at risk of collapse. One source familiar with the findings said the most recent assessment—completed within the past few days—shows a “multitude” of intelligence reports offering a “consistent analysis that the regime is not in danger” and “retains control of the Iranian public.” Israeli officials have also acknowledged that there is no guarantee the war will lead to the fall of the Iranian government, according to the findings.
Anti-war protesters in London
The war has raised alarm in the U.S. Congress as well. Lawmakers have criticized President Trump for spending colossal sums on a conflict whose repercussions are being felt worldwide.
According to U.S. media, administration officials told Congress on Tuesday that the first six days of the war had already cost more than $11 billion. Several congressional aides expect the White House to soon request additional funding—possibly as much as $50 billion. Members of Congress have voiced concern that the conflict will rapidly deplete U.S. military stockpiles.
So far, U.S. and Israeli forces have targeted military sites as well as energy and civilian infrastructure across Iran, killing an estimated 1,300 people—including more than 200 students—and injuring over 12,000.
From the outset, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on Israeli military and strategic sites in cities such as Haifa and Tel Aviv, as well as on U.S. military bases in Persian Gulf countries. Iranian officials argue that under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Iran has the right to defend itself against aggression, including attacks originating from outside its borders. By this logic, Iran’s strikes on U.S. bases in the region fall within the framework of international law.
Iran intensified its retaliatory operations on Thursday, despite President Trump’s declaration of victory. During a trip to Kentucky on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “we won” the war, though he added that U.S. forces would remain engaged to “finish the job.” He asserted—without evidence—that the war may end “soon” because there is “practically nothing left” to bomb.
Meanwhile, the conflict is having severe consequences for global energy markets. Iran has vowed not to allow “a liter of oil” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz by “aggressors.” An IRGC spokesperson warned that any vessel linked to the United States, Israel, or their allies “will be considered a legitimate target.”
Motorists around the world are already feeling the impact. In the U.S., the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline has risen from nearly $3 in February to about $3.60—a 20 percent increase, according to AAA Fuel Prices. Data from Global Petrol Prices shows that more than 80 countries have reported fuel price hikes since the war began.
The aviation sector is also reeling. Air New Zealand announced it would cut 5 percent of its flights—about 1,100 services—due to soaring jet fuel costs. Qantas Airways, SAS, and Thai Airways have also announced fare increases.
Australia’s Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the country will temporarily lower fuel quality standards to ease supply pressures, allowing higher-sulphur fuel for 60 days—an adjustment expected to bring an additional 100 million liters of fuel into the market each month.
Europe faces an even more precarious situation. Energy experts warn that many European countries could be severely affected if shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted, as 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes through this vital waterway. Europe relies heavily on these shipments for diesel, aviation fuel, and refinery feedstocks. Analysts caution that shortages could emerge within weeks.
Oil prices ripple through the global economy, raising the cost of energy and raw materials used in manufacturing plastics, chemicals, fertilizers, and pharmaceuticals. Over time, these increases push up the price of everyday goods, from food to transportation.
For now, as the regional and global repercussions of the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran intensify, President Trump appears to be projecting a manufactured sense of victory in an attempt to find a political exit from the conflict. But Iran—having preserved its cohesion, national unity, and resilience—has made its position clear: any ceasefire must include recognition of Iran’s rights and guarantees that the U.S. and Israel will not attack again.
In the end, the war has not produced the swift collapse Washington and Tel Aviv anticipated. Instead, it has triggered a cascade of military, political, and economic consequences that neither the U.S. nor Israel seems prepared to manage. With Iran demonstrating both resilience and retaliatory capability, and with global markets buckling under the strain, the conflict now appears less like a path to regime change and more like a self‑inflicted strategic trap—one from which the United States is struggling to extract itself.
source: tehrantimes.com