Trump has run out of options in Iran war, says Harvard professor

Harvard University professor Stephen Walt has assessed the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran as a hurting stalemate, arguing that President Donald Trump has exhausted his strategic options. In an interview with Al Jazeera’s The Bottom Line, Walt contended that the current situation is defined by a mutual reluctance to escalate, with both sides effectively waiting for the other to yield.

Walt challenged the prevailing view that the President’s unpredictability serves as a diplomatic asset. He noted that the unpredictability is not strengthening the US position, observing that the Iranians have no reason to believe anything Trump tells them. According to the professor of international relations, this lack of credibility undermines the effectiveness of US foreign policy in the region.

The analysis suggests that many of Trump’s policies are making the United States weaker rather than stronger, a development Walt described as contrary to the President’s initial promises. This assessment places the current geopolitical standoff in the context of broader institutional challenges facing the US government.

Beyond the direct conflict with Iran, Walt identified a significant lack of progress on the Palestinian-Israeli front. He argued that neither US political party is currently willing to exert sufficient pressure on Israel to facilitate a genuine political solution.

This diplomatic impasse is attributed in part to a strong commitment to the concept of Greater Israel within Israeli politics. Walt cited this ideological stance as a primary barrier to resolving the conflict, suggesting that without a shift in political will, the status quo is likely to persist.