How Donald Trump could reframe US goals in Iran war to justify finishing it

With Washington’s objectives in the Iran war shifting, the evolving goals could allow US President Donald Trump to justify success and finish the conflict sooner than expected, Chinese analysts said.

However, the observers cautioned that a wide gap with Israel over the conflict’s endgame could hinder the White House from swiftly moving past the war.

The assessment coincides with growing international scepticism regarding the duration of the war in the Middle East. With global oil markets already volatile, questions swirl as to whether the conflict will conclude in the “two to three weeks” time frame proposed by Trump or continue for a longer duration.

Trump, who has repeatedly suggested that the war in Iran would be over soon, was expected to deliver a national address on Wednesday night that the White House said would provide “an important update” on the war.

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Trump says US could end war in Iran in 2 to 3 weeks, with or without a deal

On Tuesday, the American leader told reporters the war would end “within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three”, adding that “we’ll leave because there’s no reason for us to do this”.

South China Morning Post