Beyrouth (Lebanon), special envoy.
Donald Trump certainly knows the rules of poker and the associated bluffing. However, he should learn that Iranians are particularly skilled at chess. And that the expression “checkmate” which signals the defeat of the opponent comes from the Persian phrase “Shāh Māt” meaning “the king is defeated”.
The US president accepted a two-week ceasefire with Iran, less than two hours before the ultimatum he had given to Tehran: to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks on its civilian infrastructure.
“An entire civilization will die tonight,” he boldly stated. The war, now in its sixth week, has resulted in over 5,000 deaths in a dozen countries, including more than 1,600 civilians in Iran. While the White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, insists that “the truth is that President Trump and our powerful armed forces have secured Iran’s agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiations will continue,” no one is fooled.
Trump caught in the trap of his excesses.
It had been evident for several days that Donald Trump was seeking a solution to…
