The Trump administration is scaling back its initial aggressive war objectives in Iran as the conflict drags on. Initially, the U.S. aimed for Iran's complete surrender and regime change, but it has recently shifted its focus to preventing nuclear weapons development and stabilizing international oil prices.
According to CNN, the Trump administration's goals in the Iran conflict have gradually diminished alongside the prolonged nature of the war. The U.S. began its military campaign on February 28, conducting airstrikes on Iran in coordination with Israel, with objectives that included complete surrender, regime change, and permanently halting Iran's nuclear weapons development.
However, following the collapse of a ceasefire memorandum of understanding (MOU) in mid-June, the focus of these goals has changed, CNN reports.
Recent comments from Vice President JD Vance illustrate this shift. In a Fox News interview on August 14, Vance stated that the primary goal of ending the war is to keep oil and gas prices low for American citizens, with preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as the second priority.
This contrasts with the early emphasis from the White House on blocking Iran's nuclear weapons development as the top priority. White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt later clarified that both objectives are equally important to President Trump.
Trump's statements also reflect a lowering of demands. Instead of insisting on the removal of enriched uranium from Iran, he has highlighted the significant damage inflicted on Iran's nuclear program due to U.S. attacks.
CNN suggests that these changes may signal a search for a way to conclude the war at a lower level than initially proposed. The normalization of the Strait of Hormuz could be a key variable. If Iran reopens the Strait, which was operational before the war, stabilizing oil prices and reopening the strait could be viewed as major achievements, potentially resulting in a return to the pre-war status quo.
This situation may lead to debates over how much of the original objectives were achieved through the war. If the outcome is merely the containment of Iran's nuclear program and stabilization of the energy market, rather than complete elimination, assessments of the war's effectiveness could vary significantly.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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