Middle East Crisis Iran War

Trump Lets Peace Talks Take Their Time: “Don’t Stress Me Out”

Donald Trump suggests that the United States is willing to let peace talks with Iran take as long as they need, according to Reuters. Earlier this week, the president announced that the ceasefire that was initially intended to last two weeks would be extended.

On Thursday evening, Trump lashed out at a journalist who asked how long the president was prepared to wait for a deal with Iran.

– Don’t stress me out. I want to get the best deal. I want it to last forever, he replied. 

The United States has used up large parts of its weapons stockpiles – forced to move resources to Iran

The United States has used up large parts of its weapons stockpiles during the war in Iran, which has greatly weakened the country’s ability to respond to a military threat from countries such as Russia or China. This is reported by the New York Times, citing the military’s own data and sources.

Since the war began on February 28, the US has, among other things, fired over half of its stealth cruise missiles. In addition, there are around 1,000 Tomahawk missiles and an equal number of ATACMS ballistic missiles. The US has also used over 1,200 of the Patriot air defense missiles, which cost the equivalent of 40 million kronor each.

The total cost of “Operation Epic Fury” has been estimated to be somewhere between 250 and 350 billion kronor. According to the New York Times, the US has now been forced to move weapons from bases in other parts of the world in order to continue the war in Iran.

According to the White House, the “entire premise” of the New York Times report is false, and there is no shortage of weapons.

Analysis: Many decision-makers in Iran – but all agree on the red lines

Donald Trump claims that there is “chaos” in the Iranian regime and that the leadership is “deeply divided” after most leaders were killed by the US and Israel.

The BBC’s Lyse Doucet, who is on the ground in Iran, writes that the regime has responded with a mass text message to the population, denying Trump’s claims. “One nation, one goal,” it says, among other things. The purpose of the message is to show unity, says Doucet.

“There are many decision-makers now [...] But their ‘red lines’ on issues related to the nuclear energy program and the Strait of Hormuz are clear,” she writes.

Many experts do not share Trump’s view that the leadership is divided, writes The Guardian’s Patrick Wintour. He has spoken with Hassan Ahmadian at the University of Tehran, among others. The professor points out that Iran is managing to defend itself and take countermeasures against both the US and Israel, despite the fact that almost the entire leadership has been eliminated.

Wintour also thinks that Trump’s statements stand out in another way:

“He has previously said that he doesn’t know much about the new Iranian leadership or that there has already been a regime change.” 

Middle East Crisis Strait of Hormuz
Sources: Iran Places More Mines in Strait of Hormuz


Iran's Revolutionary Guard has placed more mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, a US military source told Axios.

It was after Trump was given the information that he said he had ordered the US Navy to "shoot and kill" any boats that lay mines in the strait.

According to Axios, this week's minelaying is the second round that Iran has carried out since the war began. It is unclear whether all the mines from the first round have been found and cleared.