The agreed ceasefire between the US and Iran for a period of two weeks after US President Donald Trump's threat that "an entire civilization will perish" if Tehran does not agree to an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz is a central topic in the world press, BTA writes.
"Trump has found a detour from the Iranian path, but the problems that led to the war remain unresolved," writes David Sanger in the American newspaper "The New York Times". "At 8:06 a.m. on April 7 (3:06 p.m. Eastern time - BTA note) he issued an apocalyptic threat to Iran, declaring that if his demand to open the Strait of Hormuz was not met by Tehran by the end of his ultimatum (10:00 p.m. New York time, 3:00 a.m. Eastern time today), an entire civilization would perish tonight and never recover. His short-term intimidation may have worked, but the fundamental differences with Iran remain as deep as they were in February," the author writes, referring to the start of the US-Israeli strikes against Tehran on February 28.
"Ten hours and 26 minutes after issuing his threat to Iran - at 6:32 p.m. Eastern time, Trump withdrew it," Sanger notes. The New York Times notes that the war with Iran has dealt a blow to the global economy while also demonstrating American technological dominance and Iran's unexpected resilience.
Trump's tactic of escalating his rhetoric to astronomical levels has certainly helped him find the outlet he has been searching for for weeks, the American publication points out. This may fuel his belief that the tricks he learned in the New York real estate world - such as ignoring old conventions and making excessive demands - are They also work in geopolitics, the author commented in the "New York Times".
This is undoubtedly an obvious tactical victory that should, at least temporarily, restore the flow of oil, fertilizers and helium through the Strait of Hormuz and calm markets where there were fears that a global energy shock would lead to a global recession, Sanger wrote, noting that none of the fundamental problems that led to the war have been resolved. The theocratic government in Tehran remains in power, supported by the aggressive Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and subjugating a frightened population attacked with missiles and bombs, emphasized the "New York Times", noting that the control of a familiar regime leaves Iran's nuclear arsenal where it has been until now.
On the other hand, the "New York Times" recalls the popular definition of Trump's policy - TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out - "Trump always chickens out"). This acronym defines an entire era, notes the website of the Italian national television RAI, drawing attention to the fact that Iranian state television rejoiced after the "humiliating American retreat".
The British newspaper "The Guardian" supports the topic of Trump's deviation with the leading headline "Desperate search for any way out", under which it tracks the reactions of the highest levels of American politics to the truce reached by Trump. Political leaders and many Americans breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday evening after Donald Trump announced a temporary ceasefire agreement after threats to destroy "the entire civilization" of Iran, the publication writes, pointing out that the agreement was announced about 90 minutes before the expiration of the deadline given by Trump.
"I'm glad that Trump backed down - he was desperately looking for some way out of the situation created by his ridiculous fuss“, said the leader of the minority of the Democrats in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, quoted by “The Guardian“. Schumer earlier called Trump “an “extremely sick man“, who is waging “a senseless war of his own choosing“.
According to Katie Rogers of “The New York Times” Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization has already crossed the threshold of “empty talk”. It was a stunning threat, delivered with all the casual callousness that has become President Trump’s preferred style of communication, Rogers wrote.
"The Truth Social post in which he made the threat is part of his chaotic negotiating style, aimed at bringing an end to the conflict he personally started and persuading Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz. Some of the president’s advisers saw Trump’s escalating rhetoric as a negotiating tactic that suggested he was more interested in finding a way out of the war than in a devastating attack," the author wrote in the "New York Times".
According to Philip Kennicott of another American newspaper, "The Washington Post", Trump's dark rhetoric has overshadowed the new wonders of the space age that the world witnessed with the "Artemis 2" lunar mission. "The "Apollo" missions offered an unprecedented path to global progress, while "Artemis 2" was overshadowed by the apocalyptic threat of one nation to destroy another," the author says.
The whole world is fixated on figuring out what Trump's threat would lead to, says the leitmotif of the "Wall Street Journal". "Even for a president who has long relied on hyperbole in his threats, this 85-word article in "Ex" was too much. It ricocheted from the Oval Office to foreign embassies in the United States and corporate offices, triggering a countdown to Trump's 8 p.m. Eastern time deadline and a feverish global guessing game about what the world's most powerful man is ready to do," the Wall Street Journal noted.
"Le Monde" in turn pointed out that Donald Trump's verbal escalation raises questions about his mental health. "The President of the United States is Crazy" is the leading headline of the French publication, which quotes opinions from American congressmen. "Lawmakers, stunned by the filthy and genocidal language used by the occupant of the White House, are beginning to invoke the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution, which allows the declaration of a head of state as incapacitated and the transfer of powers to the vice president," emphasized "Monde".
Trump's statements raise concerns that the US is capable of committing a war crime, the Spanish newspaper "Pais" points out. "Attacking infrastructure vital to the survival of civilians, such as power plants, oil wells, bridges and roads, could be considered a violation of international law, according to experts interviewed by "Pais", writes Carolina De Lima in her article.
"The only legal basis for attacks on such objects or infrastructure during war is that they effectively contribute to the military action", explains Tom Dannenbaum, a law professor at Stanford University in the US, to the Spanish newspaper. Timothy Snyder, a renowned American historian specializing in the Holocaust, suggested that Trump's threat to destroy an entire civilization could be punishable under the UN Convention on Genocide, summarizes "Pais".