Iran DESTROYS Gulf Oil & Israel, Trump BACKS DOWN! | Seyed M. Marandi

Trump's Decision to Halt Strikes [0:15]

• The United States has reportedly backed down from planned strikes on Iran.
• This decision appears to be influenced by Iran's planned response and diplomatic pressure from Middle Eastern countries.
• Iranian sources indicated that oil and gas fields in Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia were targets for retaliation.

  "The United States has backed down from strikes on Iran."

Denials and Diplomatic Maneuvers [1:10]

• While Israeli media and reports suggest Qatar brokered a compromise and Saudi Arabia pressured Trump, Iran has denied any such agreement.
• Professor Marandi states there is no agreement or negotiation with Iran, and nothing has fundamentally changed.
• He believes Trump's change of position is due to Iran's threat of retaliation and diplomatic efforts by Saudi Arabia and others.

  "But Iranians made no requests. It had nothing to do with Iran."

Economic and Political Ramifications [2:30]

• An attack and subsequent Iranian retaliation could have destroyed critical infrastructure in the Persian Gulf, impacting global energy markets.
• The professor notes the timing of the potential conflict, with U.S. midterms approaching, suggesting it could be politically detrimental for Trump.
• He warns that despite the current pause, Trump's unpredictability means strikes could still occur.

  "Because ultimately, if Iran had attacked, if the United States had attacked, and then Iran had attacked Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the Emirates, and Kuwait, and destroyed their critical infrastructure, that would send a message to markets across the world that there will be no more energy coming from ore or refined goods or helium or fertilizer coming from the Persian Gulf anymore."

Regional Tensions and Saudi Arabia's Role [4:30]

• The Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea are effectively closed, intensifying an energy crisis.
• Saudi Arabia's actions, including bombing military bases in Iraq and Yemen, are described as enraging Iraqis and Iranians.
• The professor highlights the contradiction of Saudi Arabia pressuring Trump not to strike Iran while simultaneously engaging in conflict in Yemen and Iraq.

  "Saudi Arabia is turning this into a regional war, with Americans, by the way, because the Americans bombed Iraq with the Saudis."

U.S. and Israeli Strategy and Intelligence [7:45]

• Professor Marandi suggests Trump may have trapped himself by obeying the "Zionist lobby" and Israeli regime, leading to a failed war.
• He criticizes U.S. intelligence as potentially flawed and overly reliant on narratives about Iran being "brittle."
• The professor posits that Trump might have hoped for Iranian capitulation rather than planning an outright attack.

  "I believe that U.S. intelligence is deeply flawed. I don't think it's just the Israeli regime giving false intelligence or fake intelligence."

Gaza and Palestinian Cause [10:00]

• The ongoing conflict is framed as being about Palestine and Gaza, and resistance against "ethnic supremacism and genocide."
• Leaders who signed documents supporting Trump are accused of betraying the Palestinian cause.
• The professor details the severe conditions in Gaza, including starvation and attacks on medical supplies, calling it "genocide."

  "The Israelis have been slaughtering Palestinians on a daily basis. And now, for the past few days and weeks, it's becoming much worse."

Shifting U.S. Public Opinion and Vulnerability [15:00]

• A CNN poll indicates 67% of Americans believe Trump's actions against Iran have harmed the U.S.
• There's growing sympathy for Palestinians over Israelis, with over half of Americans believing the U.S. is too supportive of Israel.
• The professor suggests these polls might be manipulated and that the reality could be worse.

  "A new poll says that 67 percent of those polled now in the United States believe that Trump's actions against Iran has been harmful to the United States."

Iran's Strategic Considerations [20:00]

• Iran's strategy is to apply pressure on Trump and Netanyahu leading up to their respective elections.
• Iran is not striking Israel now to avoid rallying support for Netanyahu.
• If the U.S. escalates, Iran threatens to destroy the civilian infrastructure of collaborating countries in the Persian Gulf.

  "The Iranians want to put pressure on the war party to to weaken them so October and November I think are some are two important events."

Economic Collapse and Iran's Victory [25:00]

• Destruction of critical infrastructure in Gulf countries would lead to their collapse due to dependence on oil and gas.
• This would trigger a stock market collapse, ending Trump's presidency.
• Iran is positioned to win the conflict, and its allies will also prevail.

  "And what would happen that would lead to a collapse of the of the stock market because people as I said earlier would recognize that the talk you know trump talking down the market or talking up the market or talking down the price of well that's not going to work anymore people will know that it's finished at a time when the shortages are already there."