The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding: how the world media assess this historic event
The sudden signing of a memorandum of understanding, which provides for the cessation of war and the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz, caused a real wave of discussions on the pages of world publications. While Donald Trump was sealing the document with his own hand in the historic halls of Versailles, and his Iranian counterpart Massoud Pezeshkian was digitally signing the agreed text, foreign observers had already begun to model the future contours of a renewed security architecture in the Middle East.
The front pages of influential media outlets demonstrate a wide range of assessments – from restrained optimism about the immediate restoration of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to outright skepticism about the real prospects for regulating Tehran’s nuclear program within the next sixty days. Further analysis of European publications allows us to understand what hidden risks and geopolitical dividends foreign analysts see in this sensational diplomatic step.
BBC News — United Kingdom. The state-run BBC News cites internal divisions in the US over the signed document:
“Trump’s main goal is to prevent a ‘global economic catastrophe’ from a surge in oil prices. However, there is division within the Republican Party itself. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy said: “This is the worst foreign policy blunder in decades. The problem with Israel remains unresolved as Benjamin Netanyahu continues to strike Lebanon despite the peace plan.”
The Guardian — Great Britain. The center-left analytical publication The Guardian publishes a sharp criticism of the American administration:
“The text of the 14-point memorandum shows that the Trump administration rushed to declare a “great victory” when Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem had already declared it a “triumph.”
Trump compromised at a time when the regime in Tehran, under the influence of severe sanctions and military pressure, was the weakest in decades. Instead of pressuring the Islamic Republic, Washington is giving it resources, legitimacy and financial relief. This a major miscalculation by Trump, who has already jeopardized the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon.”
Al Jazeera — Qatar. The international news agency Al Jazeera focuses on the bellicose rhetoric inside Iran:
“The decline in military tensions is accompanied by a fierce information war, where each side is trying to present itself as the sole winner. If the US does not fulfill its obligations, Iran will not fulfill its own in any case. Our finger remains on the trigger,” said Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, warning that Tehran will tear up the memorandum if the US is the first to violate the conditions for lifting the naval blockade.”
Deutsche Welle — Bulgaria. The United States has achieved nothing of what it planned by starting a war with Iran, criticizes the Bulgarian service of Deutsche Welle:
“Trump started this war with promises to put an end to the Iranian regime, its nuclear ambitions and missile program. But the regime has remained in power, and it seems to be quite stable. The same applies to the missile program, as well as the potential progress in the development of the Iranian nuclear program: it is no longer possible to surpass what was already achieved in 2015 and agreed to by Barack Obama.
As a result, the US will suffer reputational losses, the whole world will have to deal with the economic consequences, and the Iranian people will have to continue to suffer under the oppression of a cruel and increasingly radical regime.
Denník Postoj — Slovakia. The Slovak conservative publication Denník Postoj is also skeptical:
“It is difficult to say where the US and Israel are succeeding in this war. … The Americans can try as much as they like to present the current catastrophic situation in a positive light, but Israelis, for whom this conflict is of existential importance, will not let themselves be fooled. In Tel Aviv, it is no longer a secret that the war with Iran ended in a complete fiasco, and the responsibility for this lies not only with Donald Trump, but also with Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Denník Postoj — Slovakia. The Slovak conservative publication Denník Postoj is also skeptical:
“It is difficult to say where the success of the USA and Israel lies in this war. The Americans can try as much as they like to present the current catastrophic situation in a positive light, but Israelis, for whom this conflict is of existential importance, will not let themselves be fooled. In Tel Aviv, it is no longer a secret that the war with Iran ended in a complete fiasco, and the responsibility for this lies not only with Donald Trump, but also with Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu.”
Der Standard — Austria. Israel will not be able to achieve the desired security through military means alone, — emphasizes the Viennese newspaper Der Standard:
“Despite a number of tactical successes, Israel has not come any closer to its real goal, and instead has caused enormous suffering to Lebanon. And now Trump has also become an obstacle to such a policy. It is time for Israel to understand that it will never achieve the desired security solely through military force. Serious diplomacy and allies in the region that would be open to dialogue are also needed — in Lebanon and other Arab countries. To do this, it is also necessary to change the policy towards the Palestinians.”
Naftemporiki — Greece. One very important component is conspicuously absent from this agreement, — notes the Athens-based Naftemporiki:
“In the agreement designed to launch difficult negotiations regarding the final settlement, there is no mention of human rights. Remember what Trump said at the beginning of the war? He promised help to the protesters, called on them to seize government buildings, and at the same time condemned the continuous executions of those who were imprisoned after the suppression of the January protests. And now Trump says that he is not interested in regime change, and that the new ayatollahs are completely moderate people.”
Le Quotidien — Luxembourg. The consequences of the war will be felt for a long time, — notes the Luxembourg Le Quotidien:
“The supply chains were not just disrupted — they actually collapsed. Oil refineries were seriously damaged. Black gold will no longer flow through pipelines at the speed that it was before the conflict. First, they need to be repaired. Aluminum plants have also suffered from the bombings.
And this is far from the full list, because the Persian Gulf region accounts for 30 percent of the world’s fertilizer supplies. The prices of the products that end up on our tables will continue to rise. Against this backdrop, only Donald Trump has a smug smile, rejoicing in his “brilliant” victory over Iran, while everyone else will have to deal with the consequences of this story for some time to come.”
