Seven Ways America Can Win the Armistice and End the War | US-Israel war against Iran

It was too much to ask of US Vice President JD Vance to broker a peace deal with representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran after the first direct meeting of the two sides in more than a decade.

But it is not too much to ask that enemy combatants maintain the ceasefire and that negotiators return to the table for a second round of meetings.

As of now, we still have a truce. The question remains: Can America win it?

For President Donald Trump, this question is existential. If voters see that the US has lost the war against Iran, the Republicans will lose Congress and the president will be on the political hot seat for his last two years in office.

If voters, on the other hand, see that this conflict with Iran was worth it and life returns to normal by the summer, then Republicans have a better chance of breaking ties in November’s midterm elections.

What would it take for the US to win the ceasefire and finally get a peace deal?

Well, first of all, the Strait of Hormuz must be open to all shipping. This should be the number one goal for the Trump administration because it is the one thing that has the biggest impact on the global economy and, most importantly for a domestic audience, the price of oil. Policy planners at the White House did not fully appreciate how Iran was able to seize control of this critical bottleneck in international trade, but they did now.

Second, the US must increase domestic pressure on the Iranian regime. Stopping the bombing is a good way to do that. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been significantly weakened by the joint US-Israeli attacks. Our intelligence community must do everything in their power to strengthen the Iranian protest movement by arming them with weapons and resources. The bombing of bridges and oil refineries would have been a significant blunder by the Americans, as it would have made it much more difficult for insurgents in the country to mount any kind of opposition.

Third, the US must repair its relations with its traditional allies. It’s not just about Iran. Russia and China are watching the tensions within NATO, and they are happy. A more united Western world, especially when it comes to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, is essential.

Fourth, the Trump administration needs to up its messaging game. Right now the US is completely divided when it comes to this war. Even elements of Trump’s political base are deeply skeptical of the campaign. I understand the motivation behind the president’s maximalist rhetoric, but trying to convince your opponents that you’re a crazy man who can only put his finger on the button has some drawbacks.

Our allies were afraid, the American people were worried, the pope was upset. Even some of the president’s biggest political supporters have called for his removal via the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution, which provides for the replacement of a sitting president due to incapacity. Messages from the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, were not much better. Calling it another Christian crusade does not help our long-term goals in the region.

Fifth, the president must paint a picture of what peace would mean for the Iranian people and for the region in general and then sell it to them. What is happening to Venezuela is a perfect example of what can happen to Iran. We cut off the head of government there, but the rest of the body politic is still mostly in place. We do not need a total change in the regime. We do need a total change in the attitude of the current regime.

Sixth, the president must firmly outline what we expect from a lasting peace agreement and what we need from the Iranian regime. The first thing we need is real peace. Enough with the financing of terrorism, terrorist proxies and never ending war against Israel. Peace means peace. The nuclear program must never be turned into nuclear weapons.

Seventh, the president must make sure Israel’s goals are aligned with ours. That would require a blunt talk between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is clear that the Israeli prime minister sold Trump a piece of goods when he told him that it would be a quick war that would topple the Iranian regime at a relatively low cost. It didn’t happen.

I appreciate how the Israelis are sick and tired of missiles being sent from Hezbollah. But perpetual war appears to be a key component of the Netanyahu political campaign, and it simply isn’t working for the American people anymore.

The US and Israel need to be on the same page about what their goals are now that we are in a lull in the battle. It is critical to win this ceasefire.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial position.