US Senator: Trump Lost the War on Iran

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said that President Donald Trump “has lost the war” against Iran. Murphy criticized the Trump administration during his appearance on an NBC News program on Sunday, in the context of the war that the United States, alongside Israel, has waged against Iran. He claimed that a potential agreement under consideration with Iran would involve paying Tehran $100 billion annually in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He added, “Donald Trump has lost this war. America is in a weaker position, and Iran is in a stronger position. The cost of reopening the Strait of Hormuz rises day by day.” He argued that paying this sum would constitute a “victory” for Iran, enabling it to support its military forces and allied militias in the region. He emphasized the need to end attacks on Iran, asserting that the United States has emerged “weaker” from this campaign. He indicated that he would not support funding to replenish U.S. ammunition stocks in order to “enable the United States to continue its attacks” on Iran. Since February 28, the region has witnessed waves of military confrontations and periods of cautious calm, accompanied by stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining the central issue. On that day, the United States and Israel launched an assault on Iran, resulting in 3,000 deaths, according to Tehran, which retaliated with attacks that killed Americans and Israelis. Iran also carried out attacks on what it described as U.S. military facilities and equipment in Gulf states, though some strikes caused civilian casualties and damaged civilian infrastructure, prompting the targeted countries to condemn the actions and repeatedly call for an end to them.