The US has the upper hand — Trump must demand real concessions from Iran

Since the battle with Iran began on February 28, there have been so many reports of “deals” with the rump regime atop the ruins of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that it seems almost silly to respond to another one.

But Israeli journalist Amit Segal usually cross-checks all reports of deals — including the most recent one from Axios’ Barak Ravid — with senior Israeli officials, so I pay attention to Segal’s posts. On Wednesday, Segal quoted Ravid, posting on X:

“According to @BarakRavid the U.S. and Iran are at the closest point to an agreement since the war began. The framework includes:

• The U.S. and Iranian naval blockade will be gradually lifted during the detailed negotiation period.
• The United States will commit, in the memorandum of understanding, to gradually lift sanctions and release tens of billions of dollars from frozen assets.
• Negotiations are still underway on the duration of the uranium enrichment freeze. Three sources said the freeze would last at least 12 years, and one source estimated the final outcome would be 15 years. In addition, the U.S. wants to include in the agreement a clause stating that any Iranian violation regarding uranium enrichment will extend the freeze period.
• Two sources claimed that Iran would agree to transfer the highly enriched uranium it possesses out of the country.
• The United States expects to receive Iran’s response within 48 hours regarding several key points in the draft framework agreement.”

STEVE FORBES: NO MORE DELUSIONS — AMERICA HAS TO FINISH THE JOB IN IRAN

That would be a terrible “deal,” one that would draw fierce criticism from the GOP’s Iran hawks who want President Trump to “finish the job” and do so in dramatic fashion.

The “end game” doesn’t have to be humiliation of the remnants of the rump regime atop the ruins of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps atop the shattered Iranian “government.” But they are “lunatics” as both President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called them — “insane in the head” Rubio added Tuesday from the White House press podium — and that’s generous.

The “leaders” left standing in Iran (the ones with the guns at least) are fanatical killers who cannot be trusted. The blockade should stay in place until full commercial traffic to every country not named Iran resumes through the Gulf. The repudiation of enrichment has to be complete and the remains of the highly enriched uranium, now buried under rubble at various sites after U.S. precision strikes, has to be dug up and turned over to us. The Iranian missile and drone programs must have caps on its numbers of missiles and their range, and those programs must be subject to a strict verification regime. Finally, the regime must turn on the internet for its people and turn off the money spigot for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

These are reasonable demands and the fanatics in Iran — unless they are irrational (they may be) — must see them as such. President Trump doesn’t surrender leverage. He’s got it. We have to hope he uses every ounce of it.

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Special Envoys Steve Witckoff and Jared Kushner don’t want their names on a “second Munich agreement,” and they have walked away before. President Trump should not want to risk the victory he has won that is one for the ages by letting Iran off the floor.

I don’t believe anything, but worry about everything. Iran is finally cornered and desperate. Let’s pray that President Trump finishes off this radical and piratical regime and goes down in history as the the president who brought stability to the Middle East.