Ex-NATO commander claims Trump is โlyingโ as Iranโs โgot him by short and curlies’ | US | News
Donald Trump “almost certainly is lying” over his apparent negotiations with Iran, a country that has him “by the short and curlies”, an ex-NATO commander has claimed. As of yesterday (March 26), the US President extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for 20% of the global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, by 10 days.
Claiming talks are “going very well”, Trump has pushed the date back to Monday, April 6, as he reiterated his previous threat to target Iran’s energy infrastructure in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. He said: “Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.” Yet, his words stand in contrast to those of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who claimed Iran had “no intention of negotiating for now”.
He did, however, acknowledge that messages had been conveyed through “friendly countries”, but these do not represent “negotiation or dialogue” and are simply an “exchange of messages”.
As reports emerge of Iran receiving a 15-point plan from the US broaching the possibility of a ceasefire, and with continued ambiguity over the facts of the negotiations, a retired senior British Army officer has been invited to share his perspective.
In an interview with The Trump Report, General Sir Richard Shirreff, who served as NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allies Commander Europe (DSACEUR), was asked what he thought the “truth is here”.
Sir Richard said: “Could Iran be lying? Absolutely, they could be lying. I mean, this is a pretty, you know, a really nasty, vile regime led by the Ayatollahs, who have done the most appalling things to their own people. So, of course, they could be lying.
“But equally, Trump absolutely almost certainly is lying because I think the reality is that while Iran – Trump maybe, just maybe this is beginning to penetrate that brain, maybe he’s got a spot of bother here – because while the Iranians hold the Strait of Hormuz, frankly, America is losing, Trump is losing.”
He continued: “And the Iranians, forgive my French, have got Trump by the short and curlies here. They either…he’s either got to force the Strait of Hormuz, which is a massively challenging military operation, and even just forcing it is the challenge. Holding it is a second-order thing altogether, or he’s got to negotiate.”
Since the US and Israel initiated military action on the Middle Eastern nation at the end of February, wholesale oil and gas prices have surged, raising fears that an extended conflict could spark global shortages.
As a countermeasure, Iran carried out widespread retaliatory attacks on its Gulf neighbours and, in a potent display of asymmetric warfare, targeted vessels and placed sea mines in the Strait.
Sir Richard also addressed the soaring price of oil, noting that it has to be brought down “somehow”. He explained that Trump is ultimately faced with two options: negotiation or military action.
