Trump seeking way out - expert 

ArmInfo. Stanford University political scientist Artur Khachikyan has pointed to the first signs of a "hit and run" strategy emerging as US President Donald Trump begins to seek a way out of the situation he himself created in the Middle East.

"Reports have emerged of the deaths of the first three American  service members as a result of an Iranian attack. This will sharply  increase political pressure on Trump within the US. The first signs  have emerged that Trump is seeking a way out of the situation he  himself created. Trump has declared his readiness to stop the attack  on Iran if Iran meets US demands. There are reports that the Italian  side received a request from Washington to mediate negotiations with  Iran, but Iran rejected these offers. This may indicate that Trump's  goal, as expected, was to intimidate Iran and force it to capitulate  by declaring a quick victory.  Trump the showman wants another 'small  victorious war' and another crown of glory: Venezuela, Greenland, the  surrender of Zangezur by Armenia, and the destruction of Gaza weren't  enough for him," Khachikyan stated.

He also noted that, according to The Wall Street Journal, the US  wants to end the operation against Iran before its missile stockpiles  are depleted. The question is who will run out of missiles first: the  US or Iran.  "What's clear is that for Iran and the Iranian regime,  this is a war of existence, and their pain threshold, and therefore  their resilience, is much higher than Trump's," the political  scientist asserts.

The expert noted that Israel, the US, Iran, and Yemen are currently  involved in the war in the Middle East.  Britain and Saudi Arabia  have announced their joining the US and Israel.

According to him, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, Oman,  Iraq, Syria, and Cyprus are also involved in the conflict.

"They eat pies and corn and walk like sleepwalkers through the  streets: Armenia. Britain, Germany, and France have declared that  they will use military force if Iran continues to attack Middle  Eastern countries. I repeat: if "Iran" continues to attack.

Macron, in particular, wrote: "The missile and drone attacks launched  by Iran in response, in a completely disproportionate and  indiscriminate manner, have struck installations and numerous  civilian targets among our partners and allies in the region," the  political scientist continued.

Khachikyan also noted that the civilized, European, humane,  democratic leader with his beautiful suits and 15 masks somehow  failed to mention the deaths of "165 Iranian girls aged 7-10" caught  in an Israeli missile strike, just as he once failed to mention the  Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. "But how beautifully he quoted  Aznavour, their compatriot, at his funeral, so he could then bury the  Karabakh people. No comment needed," the expert added.

According to him, an attack on Trump himself has begun in the US. In  this vein, he noted that Senator Christopher Murphy (D-CA) lashed out  at Trump, accusing him of starting a war that no one wanted.  "Murphy  declared Trump 'the most corrupt president in US history.' An attack  on Iran could be the final nail in Trump's coffin. His party will  likely lose the November election, and Trump faces a serious risk of  impeachment due to his blatant deception of American voters and his  ties to the 'Epstein class.'"

In a day or two, oil prices will rise to $100 per barrel, according  to Reuters forecasts. Stock exchanges in Kuwait, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi  were closed for two days. The Strait of Hormuz, through which 30% of  global oil exports and 20% of global liquid natural gas exports pass,  is closed. Economists are predicting a global recession," Khachikian  continued.

He also reported that Israel has announced the mobilization of  100,000 reservists in addition to the 50,000 existing troops.  "Following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the first  meeting of the Iranian Interim Council, which includes President  Pezeshkian, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, and the head of the Iranian  judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, took place in Iran. Iran has  declared a 40-day mourning period.  Protests and mourning are taking  place in Iran and other countries, particularly in Shiite communities  in Iraq, Pakistan, and the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir.

Trump announced that the war in Iran could last up to four weeks. A  Yugoslavia-style scenario is unlikely:  bombing alone will likely not  force Iran to capitulate. There is reason to believe that Trump won't  achieve a quick victory, that Iran could hold out, and that the Yemen  scenario, where Trump was defeated by the Houthis, could repeat  itself," Khachikyan concluded.