Trump getting pulled in opposite directions as Iran war spirals

As his war in Iran continues to spiral and cause havoc for the global economy, a new report from the New York Times revealed that President Donald Trump is getting dragged in opposite directions by foreign leaders with conflicting priorities in the Middle East.

In a report published Tuesday, the Times revealed that Mohammed bin Salman, the prince and "de facto leader" of Saudi Arabia, has been "pushing President Trump to continue the war against Iran," as other reports indicate that Trump is desperate for an off-ramp from the conflict. The prince has reportedly told the president that he has a "historic opportunity" to fundamentally reshape the Middle East.

"In a series of conversations over the last week, Prince Mohammed has conveyed to Mr. Trump that he must press toward the destruction of Iran’s hard-line government, the people familiar with the conversations said," the report explained. "Prince Mohammed, the people familiar with the discussions said, has argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government."

The report further revealed that Trump is being pushed in opposite directions on how to handle the Iran war by Saudi Arabia and Israel, with the latter being involved in the conflict on a joint basis. According to the Times, Israel "views Iran as a long-term threat," but would view the country collapsing into a failed state "as a win." Saudi Arabia, conversely, "views a failed state in Iran as a grave and direct security threat," leading to the push for Trump to stick with the war long enough to properly unseat and replace the current regime.

However, Saudi Arabia is also concerned about the security risks posed by a prolonged war in Iran.

"But senior officials in both the Saudi and American governments worry that if the conflict drags on, Iran could deliver ever more punishing attacks on Saudi oil installations and the United States could be stuck in an endless war," the report added. "The consequences of the war for Saudi Arabia’s economy and national security are enormous. Iranian drone and missile attacks, launched in response to the American-Israeli assault on Iran, have already created huge disruptions in the oil market."

Analysts familiar with the dynamics in the region told the Times that Saudi Arabia is keen for the war to end soon, but also needs it to wrap up in the right way. The U.S. pulling back too soon, they explained, would leave the nation to "confront an emboldened and furious Iran on their own," suggesting that "a half-finished offensive would expose" them to "frequent" military attacks from Iran.

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