John Mearsheimer: Trump loses ground as Iran wins sanctions relief

Jun 23, 2026

A hypothetical Iran-US war ends with Iran the winner, getting sanctions relief and a stronger hand — bad for Israel, mixed for the US, good for Iran.

  • Trump is lifting sanctions on Iranian oil and letting Iran sell it in dollars, framed as a "humanitarian" food-and-medicine deal to save face.
  • The real driver is the economy: closing the Strait of Hormuz threatened to spike oil and risk a depression, forcing Trump to end the war on Iran's terms.
  • The nuclear inspection question is being pushed to later talks, and Iran is expected to give ground there in exchange for bigger wins elsewhere.
  • This is called a strategic disaster for Israel, which wanted to crush Iran but now faces a richer, rebuilt rival of 93 million people.
  • Trump is pressuring Israel to pull out of southern Lebanon and stop bombing, while Israel turns its threats toward Turkey via claims about Hamas operatives.

Outlook: A deal is seen as likely within the 60-day window, leaving Iran stronger and Israel weakened across Lebanon, Syria, and the wider region.

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