US-Iran: deal over?
Following new US strikes against targets in Iran, President Donald Trump has announced that the framework agreement and the ceasefire have ended. "I think it's over," he said on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Ankara, denouncing the Iranian leadership as "scum". The press discusses whether Trump is serious and whether the war will flare up again.
Throwing trust to the wind
Salzburger Nachrichten criticises the US President’s diplomatic incompetence:
“Diplomacy does not just depend on talks and agreements on paper – it requires at least a modicum of trust. It is precisely this foundation that Trump is eroding when he denounces the Iranian regime as 'scum' and 'liars'. Regardless of what you may think of the regime in Tehran, if you want to resolve the conflict diplomatically you should refrain from publicly insulting your negotiating partner. That's diplomacy at its most basic.”
Tehran's room for manouevre shrinking
Despite its threats to the contrary, The Economist suspects Iran will soon return to the negotiating table:
“Two forces could yet restrain Iran's generals. The first is military reality. America's latest strikes underline that the war and the negotiations have been inconclusive. Iran's Gulf neighbours, meanwhile, appear more willing to support a tougher American approach. They are pressing partners in Europe and China to increase pressure on Tehran while quietly highlighting both their previous covert operations against Iran and their willingness to act again. The second is economic. Once the funeral crowds disperse, Iran will still face a fragile and isolated economy.”