The US military has launched strikes against Iran for five consecutive days, aiming to weaken its attack capabilities in the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Trump has threatened to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges next week if no agreement is reached; Tehran has warned that if the US continues its offensive, the conflict will escalate. Dr. Farman Farmanian, a lecturer in international politics at Cambridge University, stated that the White House will soon have to return to the negotiating table, especially given the approaching US midterm elections. She pointed out that Iran is eager for negotiations, the door is open, and that Iran's economy was already "quite bad" before the conflict. However, she added that Iran has completely lost trust in the US. From Iran's perspective, the US has once again withdrawn from a memorandum of understanding, just as it withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal during Trump's first term. Earlier this year, after a joint strike against Iran with Israel, Trump and Tehran reached a memorandum of understanding, pledging a permanent ceasefire within 60 days. However, the ceasefire quickly collapsed—Iran attacked ships it accused of attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without permission, and the US responded with escalating strikes. Farman Farmanian suggested that the war was unsustainable. She stated that Iran's economic situation was undoubtedly forcing them to the negotiating table. However, similarly, pushing up oil prices, inflation, and fertilizer prices would also force the US back to negotiations. After all, with the midterm elections looming, this matter is crucial to Trump's political legacy, regardless of other factors.
