President Donald Trump has declared major strategic gains in the Iran conflict even as the fragile ceasefire shows signs of collapse.
Supporters of the administration argue that the military campaign delivered significant breakthroughs that reshaped the balance of power in the region, even if long-term stability remains uncertain.
One of the most cited achievements is the reported degradation of Iran’s military capabilities. According to U.S. defence assessments, joint American and Israeli strikes targeted thousands of sites, damaging air defence systems, naval assets, and weapons production facilities.
Officials claim these operations significantly reduced Iran’s ability to project power, with key command structures and regional proxy networks also weakened during the campaign.
Another major outcome highlighted by the White House is the temporary shift in control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route. The conflict and subsequent negotiations forced Iran into talks that led to a provisional ceasefire agreement, including arrangements for limited reopening of the strait.
This moment gave Washington significant leverage in shaping diplomatic discussions and stabilising energy flows, even if only briefly.
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Trump has also framed the ceasefire itself as a diplomatic victory, arguing that sustained military pressure brought Iran to the negotiating table.
The administration maintains that the agreement, brokered with regional mediation, showed that U.S. deterrence remains effective and capable of compelling adversaries to engage in talks under pressure.
However, the situation remains unstable. Recent developments indicate renewed tensions, with accusations of violations and growing uncertainty over whether the ceasefire will hold. Oil markets remain volatile, and Iran continues to assert influence in the region despite battlefield losses.
The United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran starting February 28. The attacks killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His body was found in the rubble of his compound in Tehran.
Iran replaced him with his son Mojtaba Khamenei on March 8. Mojtaba, 56, is a hardline cleric installed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He has not appeared in public since the appointment. Iranian state TV said he was wounded in the strikes.
Trump called the killing a major success. He said: “We’re dealing with a much different regime than before. They’re smarter, they’re sharper, far less radical. We have regime change.”
The strikes hit more than 12,300 targets by April 1, according to US Central Command. The US said it damaged or destroyed over 155 Iranian vessels and wiped out much of Iran’s air defences and radar systems.
Ceasefire agreed but talks fail
The US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Trump described the outcome as “total and complete victory” from a military standpoint. Peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday broke down.
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Both sides blamed each other over control of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran kept the Strait of Hormuz closed after the strikes. The waterway carries 20 per cent of global oil. The closure caused oil prices to rise sharply worldwide. Iran continued missile and drone attacks on Israel, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain during the fighting.
Trump had urged Iranians to overthrow their government after the first strikes. No widespread uprising took place. The Islamic Republic and its remaining proxies, though weakened, stayed in power.
Trump Criticize NATO
Trump criticised Nato allies for not joining strikes or helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He called the alliance a “paper tiger” and said he was considering leaving it. On March 27 in Miami he said: “We would have always been there for them, but now, based on their actions, I guess we don’t have to be, do we?”
The war pushed US relations with European allies to their lowest point since 1949. Oil prices climbed, with crude reaching near $150 a barrel at points. US gasoline prices went above $4 a gallon.
