Washington's policy toward Iran — what comes next?

WASHINGTON: Reports that the United States and Iran are close to extending a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz have sparked an intense debate in Washington about the future of US policy toward Tehran. The discussion extends far beyond the White House. Some of America’s most influential think tanks — research institutions that often shape policy debates and supply experts to successive administrations — are offering sharply different assessments of Iran, the consequences of the recent conflict and the political risks facing US President Donald Trump as he heads toward the 2026 midterm elections. The timing is particularly significant because the midterms will determine control of Congress during the second half of Trump’s presidency. Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but history suggests those majorities could be at risk. For many, the most important question is no longer whether Washington and Tehran can reach a temporary understanding. It is whether the economic and political fallout from the conflict will reshape American politics and constrain the administration’s options. The political clock Trump is ignoring Among those focusing on the domestic implications is James M. Lindsay, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), one of Washington’s most respected foreign policy organisations. Lindsay previously served as director for global issues and multilateral affairs at the National Security Council. In his latest analysis , Lindsay noted that Trump insists he is unconcerned about electoral consequences. “I don’t care about the midterms,” Trump said recently, dismissing suggestions that Iran might seek to prolong negotiations until after the elections. Lindsay believes the political realities are harder to ignore. “Whatever role the midterm elections play in Trump’s Iran thinking, Iran is likely to play an outsized...

Original source: Dawn Pakistan