President Donald Trump said the US is close to signing a deal with Iran to wind down the war, with a memorandum of understanding to be signed in the coming days. However, some of the key objectives Trump laid out for the conflict seem to remain unfulfilled.

Objectives Laid Out by Trump

The Trump administration has listed several objectives for the conflict, including destroying Iran’s ability to fire missiles, destroying Iran’s defense industrial base, eliminating Iran’s navy and air force, obliterating Iran’s nuclear program, protecting America’s Middle Eastern allies, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and cutting off support for Iranian proxy groups.

While the US and Israel have had tactical successes, including significantly degrading Iran’s military capabilities and killing scores of senior leaders, these successes do not necessarily translate into achieving all of Trump’s strategic aims.

Unfulfilled Objectives

Some of the objectives laid out by Trump remain unfulfilled, including destroying Iran’s ability to fire missiles and eliminating Iran’s navy and air force. Iran has proven that it still has the ability to launch missiles, and its navy and air force, although degraded, are still operational.

The US has also been unclear on how far it would be willing to go to protect Middle East allies from threats. Trump has said that any agreement should somehow bind many of the Gulf allies to join the Abraham Accords, but this seems unlikely given the current tensions in the region.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.