The White House has declared the conflict with Iran “terminated,” a move confirmed by President Donald Trump in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump stated that “The hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated,” effectively circumventing a congressional deadline for approval to continue the conflict. However, the President also acknowledged that the threat posed by Iran to the United States and its Armed Forces “remains significant.”
This declaration comes despite Trump’s earlier strong rhetoric, where he expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s latest peace proposal and outlined options to “blast them away or make a deal.” In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated Tehran’s readiness for diplomacy, provided the US alters its “excessive demands, threatening rhetoric, and provocative actions.”
The broader regional situation, however, suggests the conflict is far from over. Experts like Professor Maziyar Ghiabi of the University of Exeter’s Centre of Persian and Iranian Studies note that the “US-Israeli war on Iran shows no signs of ending,” with the US potentially maintaining a prolonged blockade of Iranian ports and Israel expanding military attacks despite a ceasefire with Lebanon. Iran is reportedly exploring deterrence methods and negotiating for war reparations or control of the Strait of Hormuz. There are concerns of a potential escalation to the Bab Al-Mandab strait, which could be closed by Ansarullah (Houthis), further disrupting global energy supplies.
Adding to the regional instability, Israeli strikes in Lebanon recently killed 17 people, including two children, despite a two-week-old ceasefire. The ongoing crisis has also severely hampered humanitarian aid efforts, with the UN warning that supply chain costs for aid to Sudan have more than doubled due to shipping disruptions around key Gulf routes. Iran has also threatened “long and painful strikes” on US positions in the Middle East should Trump renew attacks. Meanwhile, President Trump has expanded US sanctions on the Cuban government, linking Havana to Iran and militant groups like Hezbollah, and reiterated his prediction that oil and gas prices would fall once the war ends.
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