- US attacks on Iran came on expected lines, but the timing had a surprising element.
- Trump has so far portrayed himself as a global peacemaker who could stop wars
- When it came to Iran, he had concluded that the strikes were necessary for bringing peace
US President Donald Trump distanced himself from his self-proclaimed peacemaker claim, a day after bashing the Nobel authorities for not acknowledging his anti-war efforts, with "spectacular" strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran early this morning.
The attacks came on expected lines, but the timing had a surprising element.
US Bombs Iran: Live Updates
On June 20, the President had sought a two-week deadline to decide whether the US would get involved in the Middle East crisis. A day later, heavy B-2 bombers were seen heading towards their target. The next morning, the President declared that the US forces had struck the Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites in Iran.
Iran's nuclear program had long been on the US hit list. But despite Israel, which sees Iran's Islamic regime as an existential threat, calling on the US to join their war, Trump waited, making diplomatic efforts and issuing threats.
Israel, meanwhile, hit multiple nuclear sites in Iran on June 13, and once again yesterday.
Tehran has been enriching its uranium to up to 60% levels, nearer to the weapons-grade levels of 90%, but had maintained so far that it would use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes only. Israel never agreed. The US didn't either.
Iran's nuclear safety centre has ruled out any danger to locals in the nuclear site area, but the forces have launched strikes on Israel in retaliation.
Trump Slams A "Bully"
Trump portrayed Iran as a "bully" in the Middle East region after Tehran walked out of the nuclear talks with the US. Iran made its reservations known and clear that there shall be no nuclear talks until Israel stops its aggression.
Warnings have been part of the US's tactics prior to the attacks to deter them from their nuclear ambitions, with Tel Aviv and Washington asserting Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons. However, Trump shied away from admitting any preparation to target Tehran.
On June 17, he gave an evacuation call for Tehran, warning that his "patience was wearing thin". He called on Iran for an "unconditional surrender", but again, there was no talk about direct attacks.
On June 18, he gave a mixed signal: "I may do it, I may not do it - nobody knows what I'm going to do." Two days later, he sought a two-week window to decide on getting involved.
The early morning strikes were followed by another warning by Trump: "Remember, there are many targets left. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed, and skill."
That One Last Attempt
Trump reportedly made one last attempt at talks with Iran before the US bombers rained explosives on Iran. Axios reported that Trump and Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tried to arrange talks between senior US and Iranian officials last week.
The development followed a phone call from Erdogan during the G7 meeting last week in Canada. The Turkish leader proposed a meeting the next day between the two sides, Axios reported, with White House officials claiming Trump already had "signals" that the Iranians wanted back-channel talks.
The plan even included sending Vice President JD Vance and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, it said.
However, with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei going into hiding amid his assassination fears, he couldn't be reached to approve such talks, the media reported, citing US officials with direct knowledge of the matter.
The Nobel 'Peacemaker'
Trump has so far portrayed himself as a global peacemaker who could stop wars and bring warring parties to the table for talks. Until it came to Iran, the President had arrived at the conclusion that the strikes were necessary for bringing peace.
He claimed credit yesterday for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan recently, despite New Delhi denying any US role in the halt of hostilities with Islamabad. He claimed that he even stopped a war between Serbia and Kosovo, and ensured peace between Egypt and Ethiopia. He had earlier claimed that Russia wouldn't have invaded Ukraine if he were the President back in 2022.
But, he lamented, he won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for any of his efforts.
His idea of peace appeared to have changed by June 22, with him declaring that "now is the time for peace" after the US strikes on Iran. "There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days," he said in his address from the White House.
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