Why Iran said 'screw that' to Trump and his latest ceasefire offer
Iran seized two tankers after Donald Trump offered an indefinite ceasefire. Has he finally lost all control of the situation?
Listen to this article
What’s the story?
The ever-generous Donald Trump has announced his decision not to resume bombing Iran. Where? His own social media platform of course.
Posting on Truth Social, the MAGA president confirmed an extended, indefinite ceasefire to give Iran time to prepare a "unified proposal" for peace in the Middle East.
Iran's response? It bombed three Greek-owned cargo ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, seizing two and hauling them to Iranian ports.
These actions don’t quite tally with Trump’s recent claim that Iran is facing financial collapse, because there is no sign of that – certainly not in its most recent actions.
“Iran thinks it's got America on the run here, because they have got patience and time on their side,” says Jon Sopel.
“They also know that Donald Trump has neither.”
Why Trump offered the ceasefire
Jon says for anyone still wondering if it would be America or Iran to blink first in this conflict they now have an answer – and it’s not the Iranians.
“Donald Trump was promising the US military was raring to go and was ready to start bombing again – and then, whoops, a climb down,” he says.
“He suddenly says the ceasefire will go on for an indeterminate time, on the back of nothing.”
Jon says Trump, whose only real focus in the conflict he helped start, is to bring down petrol prices in the US, is now hoping that he can do this with contradicting social media posts, depending how he feels from day to day.
“Trump thinks just saying something will bring the oil price down and people will feel happy again because it doesn't cost as much to fill up their tanks with petrol,” Jon says.
“He is contradicting himself and tripping himself up on a daily basis.
“One day he says Iran is desperate for a deal, and begging for it. The next day, they're being intransigent, and trying to screw with America.”
Trump’s three options
Emily Maitlis says Trump had three options in this situation – and two of those would have led to disaster for the US.
He could have restarted bombing Iran – sending the war back to square one, and fuel prices soaring once again.
He could have sent JD Vance to Pakistan for peace talks – at the risk of humiliation if the VP flew halfway around the world and the Iranian’s didn’t bother showing up.
Instead, he rightly chose plan C.
“With the limited time Trump had, he had to say, 'yes, there is going to be a ceasefire’,” says Emily Maitlis.
“But the trouble is that the Iranians don't really believe Trump when he says there's going to be a ceasefire, because he said it before, and he's normally got a bomb in his back pocket.
“Iran isn't behaving as if there is a ceasefire. They don't trust America, and America is basically playing for time because it's run out of time and doesn't actually want to start bombing.”
Has Trump lost all control?
Trump has claimed the indefinite ceasefire extension was at the request of Pakistan, which has hosted talks between Trump's administration and Iran.
Last time Pakistan stepped in (offering to host peace talks) it was widely believed to have done so after being prompted by America – so The News Agents are taking this claim with a pinch of salt.
“It feels like he's lost control of what is happening now in Iran, and that is why he's offered a ceasefire for as long as Iran wants,” says Jon.
“Iran is saying, 'screw that. We can still fire on any tankers that we want to in the Strait of Hormuz, and there ain't nothing you can do about it’.”