Tonight, after more than a month of war between the United States and Iran—and just hours after President Trump threatened to end Iran’s “civilization” if it refused a deal—the two sides agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Under the terms as currently understood, the U.S. and Israel would halt hostilities in exchange for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s leadership has already framed this agreement as a strategic victory. Officials claim the United States has effectively accepted a sweeping 10-point plan that includes Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, continued uranium enrichment, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region, and the lifting of sanctions. Washington has not confirmed these terms, but if even part of this framework proves true, it raises a fundamental question: what, exactly, was the point of this war?
For weeks, President Trump insisted that the United States was winning—that Iran had been severely weakened and its regional threat diminished. Yet, Iran still stands. Its regime, while having suffered the loss of many leaders, has not fallen. Its military capabilities have not been eliminated. It also now controls the Strait of Hormuz, which is something it did not control before the war. The administration has repeatedly stated that its varying objectives for the Iran war were the elimination of Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, its proxy network, and the enactment of regime change. These main goals have not been achieved.
Thirteen American service members were killed. Hundreds more have been wounded. U.S. bases have been damaged. Billions of dollars have been spent. Global oil prices have surged, driving up the cost of living worldwide. And after all this, Iran stands poised to claim victory.
From the outset, this war was a strategic miscalculation. It was launched without clear necessity, without any concrete support from our allies, and without a coherent plan for achieving its most ambitious objectives. In the process, it has destabilized the global economy, strained our alliances, and has only emboldened Iran’s evil and despotic regime.
The FIFA Peace Prize winner, who promised repeatedly during the 2024 election to keep America out of war, and his administration officials got us into the mess. Their incompetence and ineptitude have humiliated the U.S. by getting us into this war, even if Iran did not pose an imminent threat. Now, they have seemingly agreed to a ceasefire agreement that Iran is calling a “victory”.
Ultimately, it will not be a surprise if this ceasefire ends up failing. Key elements of the reported agreement will face significant opposition in Washington, and Israel has insisted it would keep on attacking Iran. It has become significantly clear, though, that the U.S. blundered by entering this useless war that never should have happened.
Emil Ordonez, a political science major at Fordham University, is the founder and editor-in-chief of Polinsights. He has been deeply passionate about politics and history since learning every U.S. President at the age of five. He was compelled to start this blog after meeting many people who were misinformed or had become apathetic about how society worked. He hopes to provide factual knowledge and insights that will encourage people, especially the young, to get more engaged in their respective communities. In his free time, he edits for Wikipedia and makes maps for elections. He aspires to work in Congress or even the White House in the future.
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