Iran better believe Trump
Iran will be making a disastrous error of judgment if it believes President Trump’s decision to postpone to 10 April the deadline for Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping or face devastating strikes on its power plants can be dismissed.
That is not to say the 10 April deadline can be further extended by Trump if the progress of negotiations justify such further extension.
Trump has already shown he is prepared to take military action against Iran during:
- the 12 Day War between 13 to 24 June 2025 and
- the ongoing Operation Epic Fury commenced on 28 February
which have so far had a devastating effect on Iran’s ability to defend itself.
Trump’s entire life has been driven by the principles set out in his book: The Art of the Deal – in which he points out the following:
“My style of deal-making is quite simple and straightforward. I aim very high, and then I just keep pushing and pushing and pushing to get what I’m after. Sometimes I settle for less than I sought, but in most cases I still end up with what I want. More than anything else, I think deal-making is an ability you’re born with. It’s in the genes. I don’t say that egotistically. It’s not about being brilliant. It does take a certain intelligence, but mostly it’s about instincts.”
Those instincts are getting a real workout now.
Trump is pushing to ensure Iran never possesses a nuclear bomb or the ability to launch further long-range ballistic missiles. He will not give up on those objectives.
Trump’s attitude to the media can be gleaned from this section in his book:
“The other thing I do when I talk with reporters is to be straight. I try not to deceive them or to be defensive, because those are precisely the ways most people get themselves into trouble with the press. Instead, when a reporter asks me a tough question, I try to frame a positive answer, even if that means shifting the ground.”
Trump is, without doubt, one of the most open and approachable world leaders ever – always ready to comment whenever a microphone is put in front of him. What he says is sometimes confusing and long winded but he never shirks giving the intrepid reporter an answer.
Trump’s forays into resolving international conflicts have not been entirely successful.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict remains unresolved as does the Jewish-Arab conflict.
Trump’s 2020 Peace to Prosperity Plan was rejected by the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Trump missed an opportunity to promote the implementation of the Saudi-based 2022 Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution authored by an adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Trump’s Board of Peace struggles to resurrect the Gaza Strip.
Resolving the future of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) remains undetermined.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns has warned:
“President Donald Trump must retract deeply irresponsible threats of acts that would unleash catastrophic harm on millions of civilians. The decision to not proceed with such attacks must be based on the USA’s obligations under international humanitarian law to avoid civilian harm – not the outcome of political negotiations. Going through with such attacks would cause devastating long-term consequences and severely undermine the international legal framework designed to protect civilians in wartime.”
Her stance would have far more credibility if she outed the United Nations for continually breaching international law since 1945: Article 80 of its own Charter – resulting in millions of Arab and Jewish losses of life and permanent injuries.
Trump is deadly serious.
Iran needs to immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping.
Author’s note: The cartoon was drawn in 2023 by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones” – one of
Israel’s foremost political and social commentators – who passed away on 14 April 2025 and whose
Cartoons graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades.
