Political scientist John Mearsheimer argues that Iran has gained significant leverage over US President Donald Trump in the latest phase of the conflict, leaving Washington facing demands that exceed those outlined in a June 17 memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington.
In the third episode of his Offensive Realism series, Mearsheimer compares the terms of the proposed new agreement with those of the June MOU, arguing that Trump erred by walking away from the original framework.
According to Mearsheimer, the United States has since lost substantial bargaining leverage, while Iran is now positioned to press demands that would be difficult for Washington to accept without appearing to suffer a major political defeat.
At the same time, he argues that rejecting Tehran’s demands presents Washington with its own dilemma, particularly as the Trump administration faces pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while having limited coercive leverage over Iran.
Mearsheimer’s central argument is that the US now faces a difficult strategic choice: accept terms that could be portrayed as a setback for Washington, or reject them despite having fewer effective tools to compel Tehran to compromise.
Source: Al-Manar English Website