Barely a month after a ceasefire was declared between the United States and Iran, US forces have resumed air strikes on the country. President Donald Trump’s sudden decision could bring a major setback for the Republican Party in November’s midterm elections, experts have warned.
On 17 June, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the Palace of Versailles in France, aimed at lasting peace and tackling the economic crisis. But the Trump administration, calling the deal “ineffective,” resumed attacks on Iranian military and infrastructure targets last week, and Iran responded with counter drone and missile strikes on US allies in the Persian Gulf. Critics say the deal was a temporary tactic by Trump: recent remarks by US Vice President JD Vance suggest Washington made it mainly to buy time to build up a strategic oil reserve, keeping pressure on Iran while temporarily lowering fuel prices.
With US midterm elections due in November, in which Democrats are desperate to regain control of Congress, restarting this deeply unpopular war risks political danger for Trump’s own party. There is intense voter discontent as the war pushes up fuel and living costs. Kurt Mills, executive editor of the US magazine The American Conservative, called it a “personal vendetta” by Trump and a cause of complete defeat for Republicans in the election.
At the heart of the conflict is the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. Before the war, 20 percent of the world’s energy was exported through this sea route. By threatening to close the strait, Iran is driving up world oil prices and effectively holding the Gulf’s wealthy countries hostage. Experts have warned that the air strikes could ultimately turn into a ground operation in Iran, dragging the United States into another long, endless war — something Trump himself had promised in the past to avoid.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report