PNN – A former U.S. Secretary of State, highlighting Trump’s detachment from reality regarding Tehran, acknowledged that military action against Iran was a mistake. In fact, Tehran has emerged even stronger following the conflict with us.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network citing Reuters, former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated regarding Iran: The option Trump chose—military action—was, in my view, a mistake; all previous administrations had also examined this option and concluded that such a step should truly be a last resort.
The former U.S. Secretary of State remarked on this: Even if you were to take such an action, you might manage to set Iran back for a while—but in reality, that setback would likely amount to only a year or two. Instead, their [nuclear] program would simply be buried even deeper underground, and they would eventually return—engaging in even more extensive activities.
Antony Blinken then added: While an ‘exit ramp’ clearly existed—and still exists—for the President, the problem is that taking it would require him to accept the reality that he has failed. This is because such an exit ramp necessitates some form of compromise with Iran—and that is precisely what he refuses to accept.
Blinken stated: There is still a way out of this situation. I believe that reaching an agreement and a diplomatic solution is entirely possible. However, within the framework of such a solution, Iran’s actions regarding its nuclear program might not differ significantly from what was contained in the agreement scrapped by Trump (the JCPOA)—and they certainly would not be any better. Accepting this reality is very difficult for him.
He then added: Regarding the Strait of Hormuz—which was not a source of contention before this war began—we are now facing a problem that must be addressed. And this decision almost certainly grants a concession to Iran. I really do not want to say this, but perhaps this is the reality: a kind of “toll”—though, of course, they wouldn’t call it a toll.
The former U.S. Secretary of State added: Iran is four times the size of California and three times the size of Iraq. It has a population of 90 million. Its coastline along the Strait of Hormuz is seemingly endless. The weapons that Iran continues to produce are deployed deep within its territory, and their range is so extensive that it would not be easy to destroy them all. Accomplishing such a task would likely require a ground invasion—an undertaking that would constitute an absolute catastrophe. In fact, compared to when this whole situation began, Iran now occupies a stronger position in the region.