Trump Lowers Profile on Iran Amid Midterm Election Calculations, Analysts Say

In a recent podcast on ynet, security analyst Ron Ben-Yishai discussed the shift in President Donald Trump's stance toward Iran. According to Ben-Yishai, U.S. officials have come to realize that completely preventing Iran from nearing nuclear weapons capability through a new agreement is unlikely under current conditions. Iran's leverage over Gulf states and control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz complicate U.S. efforts, as Iran can threaten global energy supplies and regional stability.

Ben-Yishai described the Iranian regime as extreme and unconcerned with its people's hardships. He noted that the U.S. is reluctant to attack Iranian national infrastructure due to potential civilian harm and the negative impact on global energy markets, which would also affect the U.S. Trump, facing the upcoming midterm elections, appears to have ceased efforts to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, opting instead to "lower the profile" of U.S. actions in the region. Ben-Yishai speculates Trump may reconsider his approach after the elections but remains unpredictable.

The podcast also touched on Israel's cooperation with the U.S. in preparing infrastructure for Trump's peace plan in Gaza, despite Israeli opposition to aspects of the plan that would economically support Hamas and allow it to rearm. The original plan called for Hamas to disarm before Israeli withdrawal, but the revised approach proposes a phased process. Similar U.S. restrictions apply to Israeli actions in Lebanon, reflecting a broader U.S. strategy of reducing direct confrontation in the Middle East during this period.

Listeners were also invited to explore another episode focusing on the mystery surrounding Mojtaba Khamenei, a key figure in Iran's leadership.