Democracy Dies in Darkness

Trump sought to break Iran’s regime. He settled for reopening Hormuz.

The emerging agreement ends a costly war but leaves Iran’s leadership intact and its nuclear future still subject to negotiation.

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Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on Sunday. (Reuters)
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President Donald Trump declared an end to his campaign against Iran’s leaders with an exhortation on Sunday: “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!”

With the Iranian regime still in place, he was celebrating a resumption of the way the world was on Feb. 27, the day before the United States and Israel attacked Iran.

What readers are saying

The comments overwhelmingly criticize President Trump's handling of the situation with Iran, describing it as a failure and a waste of resources. Many commenters argue that the conflict resulted in unnecessary loss of life and financial costs, with little to no positive outcomes.... Show more
This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.
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Michael Birnbaum is a White House correspondent for The Washington Post, covering the Trump presidency. He previously covered national security and diplomacy from Washington and served more than a decade in Europe as The Post’s bureau chief in Brussels, Moscow and Berlin. He joined The Post in 2008. Send him secure tips on Signal at @mbwp.01.@michaelbirnbaum
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