Trump: If Iranian attack causes American deaths, fighting will resume

¬ U.S. Economist: America lacks ability to exert economic pressure on Russia, China, and Iran

¬ Russian Foreign Minister: Future U.S.-Iran agreement must balance interests of Iran and its neighbors

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U.S. President Trump stated that if an Iranian attack results in the death of American military personnel, it would be a sufficient reason to swiftly resume military operations.

Speaking at the White House in response to reporters' questions about the prospect of resuming attacks, Trump said: "That would be a sufficient reason. Frankly, if they kill American troops, I think I'd do it very quickly."

Trump also mentioned that he might meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Majeedeh Hamenei if a resolution to the conflict is reached.

Trump pledged either to "win on paper" or through military means against Iran.

"We will win either way—either on paper or through military means," he said.

Trump emphasized that the main components of any agreement with Iran should focus on safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapons program.

On February 28, the United States and Israel began striking targets inside Iran, resulting in over 3,000 deaths. Washington and Tehran announced a ceasefire on April 8. Subsequent negotiations held in Islamabad ended without results. Although there have been no reports of renewed hostilities, the U.S. has begun imposing a blockade on Iranian ports.

Meanwhile, ongoing talks are taking place between Iran and the U.S., recently focusing on drafting a framework memorandum of understanding. However, both sides continue to conduct isolated strikes from time to time. The U.S. military frames its attacks as maintaining maritime blockades against Iran and targeting "self-defense objectives," while Tehran describes them as retaliatory actions.

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At the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, U.S. economist Jeffrey Sachs stated that American and European dominance has come to an end—but both still fail to recognize this reality.

Speaking remotely from New York, Sachs noted: "American hegemony has ended. More broadly, the two-century-long dominance of the U.S. and Europe has effectively come to an end."

Experts believe the core issue lies in the fact that the U.S. and Europe remain unaware of this shift, thus continuing to wage a "rear-guard battle" in defense of a hegemony that no longer exists.

He added that the U.S. lacks the capacity to exert economic pressure on the global economy—including on Russia, China, and Iran.

Sachs said in his speech: "The share of the U.S. and Western Europe in the global economy has shrunk dramatically, rendering the U.S. essentially powerless in influencing the global economy—whether toward China, Russia, or Iran—because the U.S. market, whether as a sales or procurement destination, is no longer irreplaceable."

The 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum took place from June 3 to June 6.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the U.S. and Iran should continue their current dialogue, which has finally resumed, and that any future agreement must take into account the interests of Iran and its neighboring countries.

During an interview with Izvestia at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Lavrov emphasized: "We fully support the dialogue between Washington and Tehran, which has finally been reactivated under mediation in Islamabad, with active assistance from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It is crucial to ensure this dialogue continues, and the final agreement must balance the interests of Iran and its neighbors."

He added that promoting dialogue between Arab nations and Iran is vital, and Russia stands ready to play a facilitative role.

"We have a Persian Gulf security initiative plan. We recently updated it and have sent it to the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as Tehran," he said.

According to Lavrov, to foster dialogue, it is essential first to "completely rule out the possibility of any future military action."

On February 28, the United States and Israel began attacking targets within Iran, leading to more than 3,000 deaths. Washington and Tehran declared a ceasefire on April 8. Subsequent negotiations held in Islamabad failed to yield results. While there have been no reports of renewed fighting, the U.S. has initiated a blockade of Iranian ports.

Meanwhile, ongoing negotiations between Iran and the U.S. have focused recently on establishing a framework memorandum of understanding. Nevertheless, both sides continue to carry out sporadic strikes. The U.S. military justifies its attacks as maintaining maritime blockades against Iran and targeting "self-defense objectives," whereas Tehran labels them as retaliatory actions.

Source: sputniknews

Original: toutiao.com/article/1867139033956428/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author