Cenk Uygur and John Iadarola discuss how Trumpâs war with Iran is pushing Tehran to dig in for a prolonged conflict.
Archiv: 08-08-2026 de-facto leadership of Iran again sabotages negotiations / attacks civil vessels in Strait of Hormuz / sets impossible conditions / going for endless war
Surprise strikes signal Iran is digging in for a long war
(August 6, 2026)
In recent weeks, Iran has gone on the offensive, striking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and launching a surprise attack on U.S. forces in Jordan. From a distance, these moves look like self-defeating escalation. Why should a badly damaged state, under severe economic pressure, lash out at the U.S. instead of pushing for a ceasefire?
The answer, simply put, is that Iran is digging in for a long war. Whatever Washington‘s intentions, Tehran increasingly interprets sanctions, negotiations, temporary ceasefires and military strikes as different instruments aimed at a single objective: regime change.
As long as this primary objective remains, Iran expects no sanctions relief or meaningful de-escalation. My conversations with Iranian foreign policy analysts suggest that Tehran now believes the war will continue in different forms until the end of Donald Trump‘s presidency.
Der Iran wird zu einem Verlierer des Westasienkrieges
(July 19, 2026)
Irgendeine Gruppe oder Fraktion hat die StaatsfĂŒhrung des Iran ĂŒbernommen, in deren Interesse nicht der Iran selbst, sondern die FortfĂŒhrung des Krieges auf unabsehbare Zeit steht. Welche Rolle dabei der Sohn des in der ersten Angriffswelle auf den Iran am 28. Februar ermordeten âObersten FĂŒhrersâ (âSupreme Leaderâ) Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei spielt, erscheint völlig unklar. Bisher ist er nicht in der Ăffentlichkeit aufgetreten. Ausgerechnet ĂŒber israelische Medien wird gestreut, dies werde so bleiben bis zum unabsehbaren Ende des Krieges. Die formal dem âObersten FĂŒhrerâ unterstellten Revolutionsgarden agieren gegen die iranischen Interessen. Gewinner des Krieges sind u.a. Ălmagnate, Kriegsproduzenten und der internationale geheimdienstliche Komplex, nicht zuletzt in der Russischen Föderation, sowie der zum Machterhalt auf Krieg und externe Bedrohung angewiesene Machthaber in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Dabei ist das Interesse der Kriegsgewinnler auf allen Seiten den Westasienkrieg insgesamt noch auszuweiten.
Iranâs list of conditions âa deal-breaker for USâ: Expert
Richard Weitz, an international security expert at the NATO Defense College, says the US is highly unlikely to accept Iranâs demand for compensation or any other conditions it has set for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
âPresident Trump has explicitly excluded that [paying Iran compensation] and it wouldnât have support in Congress to fund such a proposal,â Weitz told Al Jazeera.
âIn fact, this whole list of conditions ⊠Iran has reinserted is going to be a deal-breaker for the White House,â Weitz added.
Iranâs Supreme National Security Council issues drastic new demands of the US, as conditions for reopening Hormuz
Iranâs politburo-like body known as the Supreme National Security Council says the Strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States âcorrects its behavior,â and issues drastic new demands that could shake up talks on a deal to manage the waterway and traffic on it.
Iranâs state broadcaster publishes the statement by the councilâs secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in the powerful Revolutionary Guard.
Iran appoints new Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council
(August 6, 2026)
Iranian media reported on Thursday that former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohsen Rezaei had been appointed secretary of Iranâs Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
Vessel struck off coast of Oman: UKMTO
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre has received a report of a vessel being struck about 18 nautical miles (33 km) off the coast of the Omani town of Khasab.
UKMTO cited a âverified sourceâ as saying an âunknown projectileâ hit the vessel, causing a fire.
Saudi Arabia strongly condemns Iranian attack on UAE tanker in Strait of Hormuz
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Saudi Arabia‘s strongest condemnation of the targeting of a UAE tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz. âThese unacceptable attacks constitute an assault on the security and safety of maritime navigation and global energy supplies,â the ministry said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
Saudi Arabia affirmed that Iran‘s continued perpetration of these attacks is a grave violation of international laws and norms, including Security Council Resolution 2817, which guarantees freedom of navigation and safe passage in international waterways.
Qatar condemns Iranian attack on UAE tanker in Hormuz
In a statement, Qatarâs Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the attack as a âflagrant violationâ of international law and freedom of maritime navigation.
The ministry also rejected what it described as Iranâs use of the Strait of Hormuz as a âbargaining chipâ and called for the waterway to be reopened without conditions.
It warned that the continued closure of the waterway threatens the âvital interestsâ of countries in the region and the global economy.
UAE says ADNOC tanker attacked in Hormuz
Dubai: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday said Iran had targeted a tanker belonging to the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The foreign ministry in a statement condemned „the hostile Iranian attack that targeted a tanker belonging to ADNOC with a missile while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, without causing casualties“.