Six months into the armed conflict between the United States and Iran, the war is increasingly resembling a strategic defeat for Washington, The New York Times reported, citing assessments from diplomats and international security experts.
None of President Donald Trump’s key objectives have been achieved, the newspaper said. Iran has retained control of the situation, its nuclear and missile programmes are weakened but not eliminated, and the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively under Iranian influence. The United States, meanwhile, has spent significant military resources while its allies grow more doubtful of Washington’s ability to provide stability.
Robin Niblett, the former director of the British think tank Chatham House, told the Times that for US allies and those who rely on the United States for security, the conflict has become a confirmation that Washington cannot be trusted.
The newspaper noted that a growing number of states that previously depended on American protection are now working to reduce that dependence and develop ties with other power centres.
The war has also weakened Israel’s position, the Times reported. A shortage of modern air defence systems, including Patriot missiles, is already limiting Washington’s ability to support allies in other regions, including Ukraine. Analysts said Russia, China, and NATO member states are watching the situation closely.
Ali Vaez, director of the Iran programme at the International Crisis Group, said Iran’s logic was straightforward: the country needs the leverage the strait provides to extract concessions from the United States and secure a guarantee against future attacks.
Former US negotiator Aaron David Miller argued that if the Strait of Hormuz falls under Iranian influence and control, it would amount to nothing less than a strategic defeat. Analysts cited by the Times said Washington began the war eagerly but has shown no clear understanding of how to end it.
