Ceasefire, sea skirmishes, start-and-stop peace talks stir confusion about whether Iran war is over
Is the United States still at war with Iran?
This question should be easy to answer. But the Middle East conflict has gone from a barrage of U.S.-Israeli airstrikes to a prolonged standoff involving maritime skirmishes, economic blockades and thorny diplomatic negotiations.
The question of whether or not there is war has become an elusive subject that depends on who is speaking and in what context.
President Trump told Congress that hostilities ended when the countries reached a ceasefire in early April. He wanted to circumvent the deadline set by the War Powers Act, which gives the president 60 days to end hostilities or obtain congressional authorization to continue them.
Yet he imposes a major blockade of Iranian ports to bring the regime into line, suggesting the countries are continuing to lock horns with fury.
“Under intentional law, a blockade is an act of war,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois, told Admiral Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM. “We are currently in an act of war with Iran under international law.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, highlighted the confusion over joining all Democrats and two Republicans in a vote last week to limit Mr. Trump’s war powers.
“A statement has been made that hostilities are over, but that certainly does not appear to be the case,” Ms Murkowski said.
Asked to comment on the state of the war, the White House recounted Mr. Trump’s progress so far.
“Under the leadership of President Trump, the United States decimated the Iranian regime’s military capabilities in 38 days and is now strangling what remains of its economy with one of the most successful naval blockades in history,” said White House deputy press secretary Olivia Wales. “President Trump will never let Iran get a nuclear weapon – and the president holds all the cards as negotiators work to reach a deal. »
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The United States and Israel launched a military operation on February 28 that killed Iran’s top leaders and decimated its military infrastructure.
Tehran responded by cracking down on oil traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical bottleneck, and the two sides reached a ceasefire in early April.
That ceasefire held, even as U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire across the strait and Mr. Trump imposed a strict blockade of Iranian ports to squeeze the Islamic republic’s economy.
The result is a scenario in which the war is over – except when it isn’t.
“We beat their army very badly, it’s over,” Mr. Trump told reporters as he left for his trip to China.
At the same time, he pleaded for time on high energy prices, suggesting the conflict is active.
“As soon as this war is over, which won’t be long, you’re going to see oil prices fall and you’re going to see the stock market – which is already at its highest level in history – explode,” he said. “Frankly, you’re going to see the golden age of America.”
Darrell West, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, said people “understand there is a ceasefire, but don’t believe the war is over” because countries remain far apart on a deal.
“Gas prices remain high and show no signs of falling in the near future,” he said. “The administration needs to better communicate its strategy and vision so that everyone understands how things will end. Trump cannot say the war is over until there is an agreement, both from Iran and the United States.”
The United States and Iran have exchanged peace proposals in recent weeks, with Pakistani officials acting as mediators.
U.S. negotiators have remained mostly consistent in their demands throughout nearly a year of negotiations with Iran: Tehran cannot acquire nuclear weapons, it must eliminate its uranium enrichment program, and reduce its support for mandated regional terrorist groups.
Mr. Trump suspended a mission to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, called Project Freedom, citing a request from Pakistan as that country sought lasting peace.
But days later, Mr. Trump called the latest Iranian offer “rubbish,” leaving the situation unclear and fueling calls from Democrats to end the conflict.
“Trump forced American taxpayers to invest at least $29 billion in a war that still has no end,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York.
Congressional Republicans say Democrats are meddling in White House affairs at the worst possible time.
They were careful to draw a line between the hallmarks of war, such as airstrikes, and the type of economic standoff and negotiation underway.
“We don’t have kinetic activity right now, as we would say. The president said Operation Epic Fury was over, and now we’re working on the next project, which is opening the Strait of Hormuz,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, said at a news conference Friday. “We don’t expect this to be a war activity, so to speak. So we have to give the administration time to negotiate these things. The president has done it seriously.”
The speaker said lawmakers should stay away from the commander in chief while negotiations continue.
“We believe this will come to a conclusion soon,” he said, “and I don’t think Congress should obstruct the administration as it completes what is now a negotiation rather than a military conflict.”
The other side of the aisle isn’t so sure.
Duckworth, in an exchange with Admiral Cooper, said Iran still appears to have operational access to missiles and controls the Strait of Hormuz.
“The American people, our military, deserve clear answers: What does “ending the war” look like and how can we get there? she said. “We don’t have a strategy.”
