We crossed the Rubicon with Iran, so we can’t stop halfway

The article argues that the United States should not end its war with Iran before securing the military and strategic aims it set out to achieve. It warns that declaring victory too soon to lower fuel prices or move on could allow Iran to turn battlefield losses into a diplomatic gain.

The writer distinguishes Iran’s government from its people and describes the regime’s hostility towards the US and Israel as longstanding. The article cites past attacks and plots attributed to Iran or its allies, and says the aim should be to make it difficult for Iran to rebuild threatening capabilities, rather than occupy the country or impose a new government. It says that by June 2025 the International Atomic Energy Agency had reported about 440.9 kilograms of Iranian uranium enriched to 60 per cent, while clarifying this did not mean Iran had a functioning nuclear weapon.