Trump’s Iran deal is only a temporary pause, analyst says

President Donald Trump’s dramatic announcement that the United States reached understandings with Iran and lifted the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz has drawn sharp reactions and skepticism in Israel. While Washington presents the move as a major step toward stabilizing global energy markets, critics are warning that the signed document may mean far less than it appears.

Speaking on the “Yoman Laila” program on Radio Galei Yisrael with hosts Ziv Maor and Menachem Man, hi-tech entrepreneur and U.S. expert Dr. Eli David sharply downplayed the significance of the agreement. He said, “First of all, it is not an agreement, it is a memorandum of understanding, and even this memorandum of understanding I would summarize as a memorandum of understanding.” In his view, the only real element in the document is that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, and even that is explicitly limited to 60 days.

David said the deal merely restores the situation to what existed before the war. He added that neither side has given up anything essential: “The Americans say they will remove the sea blockade for 60 days without giving up their right to block, and the Iranians say they will not collect money for 60 days without giving up their right to collect money.” He concluded that “all the other clauses are meaningless.”

According to David, the urgency behind the U.S. push was political, tied to the American electoral calendar. “In other words, President Trump wants calm until November, and that is what this memorandum of understanding is,” he said.