Trump’s Iran deal: A victory lap before the victory
The Trump administration has finalized a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran, which halts active hostilities and reopens the Strait of Hormuz. This agreement, reached after a period of military pressure followed by negotiation, is credited with ending a shooting war and averting an open-ended military commitment. However, the MoU was negotiated without the involvement of Israel, a key U.S. ally in the region that has historically borne significant costs from Iranian aggression. Israel, which provided intelligence and military rationale for recent attacks on Iran, was not included in the drafting process. The article suggests this exclusion leaves Israel exposed and provides Iran with relief before comprehensive verification.