Putin Seeks to Play Both Sides—and Trump—in Iran-Israel Clash
At the start of the year, Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Iranian counterpart at the Kremlin to sign a new strategic partnership to seal the budding alliance between the two countries that had spent the last decade trying to undermine the U.S.-led world order.
Now, after more than a week of punishing Israeli and U.S. airstrikes, that partnership is doing Tehran little good.
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Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Gold Falls as Haven Demand Ebbs After Trump Announces Ceasefire
Gold retreated as haven demand ebbed after US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire that would start about midnight Monday in Washington. Bullion fell as much as 0.6% to below $3,350 an ounce in early Asian trading. Trump, who made the surprise announcement on his Truth Social platform days after ordering airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, said the accord is aimed at a lasting end to the fighting. There was no immediate comment from Iran or Israel.


New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Iran-Israel cease-fire totally vindicates Trump's decision to strike
Disappointing hysterics across the political spectrum, from Trump-deranged lefties to pseudo-MAGA isolationists, President Donald Trump announced Monday evening that Iran and Israel have agreed in principle to a cease-fire. This follows Iran's nothingburger attack earlier in the day on a US base in Qatar that barely stirred up the desert dust, a face-saving gesture in lieu of any greater response to Operation Midnight Hammer. That prompted the prez to suggest 'Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same' — which seemingly did the trick. And totally vindicates Trump's decision to take out Iran's nuclear sites — and so move this crisis toward a rapid end. Yes, plenty remains up in the air: For starters, will both sides indeed stop firing at midnight Tuesday? It they do, will it last? The odds grow if the deal somehow stretches to include Tehran's terror proxies — especially, if it means Hamas throws in the towel and turns over the remaining hostages, with its disarmed fighters going into exile far from Israel's borders. Then, too, it's not yet clear just how far back the US-Israeli strikes have set back Iran's nuclear-weapons programs; maybe it's decades, or perhaps the mission will need repeating in just a few years. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters And we see no sign that Tehran has forsworn revenge attacks — say, a series of assassinations by those much-rumored sleeper cells. Even with those questions outstanding, Monday brought a fine putdown of all those who fretted about 'escalation' on Sunday: Iran's rulers realized they had no good moves now except to cut their losses and pull back in hopes something will eventually break their way. Cross your fingers that everyone else in the Middle East can go straight to building a better future.


New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Iran's Weak Attack Is an Offramp. Trump Should Take It.
So far, Iran's ballistic missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar on Monday appears to have been more of a face-saving measure for Tehran than an opening salvo for full-blown war with America. With no reports of American casualties or severe damage, the attack presents President Trump with a clear offramp from tit-for-tat tensions. He should take it. There's now an opportunity for both sides to restart diplomatic efforts, rather than escalate hostilities. It's not surprising that Iran's leaders felt they had to do something in retaliation for the U.S. bombing mission against three of their nuclear sites over the weekend. What they evidently came up with was an underwhelming missile strike on one of the most fortified U.S. military bases in the world. Tehran warned the Qataris that the strikes were coming, ensuring that its short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles would be intercepted by American air defense systems — which they were. In a social media post, Trump seemed to seize the chance to cast Iran's 'very weak response' on the base as more symbolic than destructive, even thanking Iran for giving the U.S. notice: 'Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.' U.S. forces in the region must remain on high alert, of course. But if Monday's attack is any guide, Tehran does not want to enter a wider war with the United States, and its leaders, too, may yet choose to pursue a concerted diplomatic effort with the United States to discuss the future of whatever is left of its nuclear program. Several rounds of talks this year between the United States and Iran have gone nowhere, and Trump's latest efforts to talk to Iran after Israel's began its air campaign this month reportedly fizzled. But the threat of war may propel both sides to work more earnestly to get back to the negotiating table. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.