Indefinite ceasefire is a strategic defeat for the US in the face of Iran

The decision by Donald Trump to unilaterally announce an indefinite extension of the ceasefire with Iran, without any request from Tehran, reveals more than an attempt at mediation. It exposes the failure of Washington’s military approach and the difficulty the United States faces in sustaining escalation against an adversary that does not yield to the logic of intimidation. By tying the ceasefire to uncertain negotiations, the White House signals that it has lost the ability to unilaterally impose the terms of the conflict. The most immediate reading is that of a tactical retreat. After testing different war scenarios, the United States encountered the concrete limits of an offensive that failed to produce strategic gains. Iran’s response capability, combined with the […]