On June 17, the U.S. and Iran electronically signed a memorandum of understanding to end their war. The 14-point agreement continues the April 7 cease-fire, reopens the Strait of Hormuz, and grants Iran significant economic benefits while merely reiterating Tehran’s promise not to develop a nuclear weapon. It gives Iran sanctions waivers to sell its oil on the international market, offering Tehran with a huge infusion of cash as its economy has struggled due to years of mismanagement, sanctions, and war. In addition, the agreement promises some $300 billion to Iran for reconstruction, further sanctions relief, and the release of frozen assets. In sum, it’s a huge loss for Trump and a huge win for Iran.
Frida Ghitis, the author of the Substack newsletter Insight and an on-air CNN contributor, sees a parallel to the 2020 election: Trump will try to claim victory where he has plainly lost. Watch our conversation above, which touches on the details of the agreement, the role of Israel and Lebanon, and how it might affect the November midterms. We also discussed Ukraine’s drone barrage against Moscow earlier this week, which was the largest attack by Kyiv in the full-scale war as it seeks to deprive Russia of oil revenue and bring the war to Russia’s doorstep.
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