​Limits of America: On the U.S.-Iran agreement

Israel and the U.S. launched their war on Iran on February 28 to bring about regime change in Tehran, destroy its nuclear and missile capabilities and end its support for non-state actors such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis. More than 100 days later, on June 15, the U.S. reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran to end fighting, lift the blockades in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman — disruptions that did not exist before the war — and pave the way for more substantive talks on the nuclear question, while Israel, frustrated and isolated, is watching from the sidelines. That U.S. President Donald Trump pushed ahead despite Israeli objection underscores how dramatically the region’s strategic landscape has shifted. Left with few viable military options to make Iran submit to America’s maximalist demands, or to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Mr. Trump ultimately turned to a phased diplomatic approach: a preliminary agreement now, followed by negotiations on a final deal. Iranian officials say the arrangement would include the release of some frozen assets and reparations for Tehran as part of a broader regional ceasefire agreement. Core issues such as Iran’s nuclear programme and western sanctions would be discussed next.