Reported US-Iran framework would leave war goals unmet – Times of Israel op-ed

If the framework reported by Iranian state TV is accurate, a US-Iran understanding would confirm the war as a strategic failure for President Donald Trump, Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz wrote in an opinion piece.

Horovitz argued that the reported terms appear focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing pressure on Iran, while leaving the main declared goals of the war unresolved: Iran’s nuclear program, missile capabilities, support for armed groups and the future of the Islamic Republic itself.

He wrote that Trump’s public emphasis on reopening Hormuz showed how much leverage Tehran had gained by disrupting the waterway, which was not blocked before the war.

The op-ed said reported terms that would remove military pressure and release major funds to Tehran before any clear nuclear settlement would be “catastrophic” for Israel and the wider free world.

Horovitz also argued that US and Israeli priorities had diverged as the war dragged on, with Israel seeing the Islamic Republic as an immediate existential threat while Trump seeks an exit he can present as a victory.

He said any agreement that fails to first deprive Tehran of its highly enriched uranium and block its path to a nuclear weapon would give the Islamic Republic time and space to recover.

Referring to Trump’s claim that he does not make bad deals, Horovitz wrote that “right now would be a very good time to prove that.”