234 Comments
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Silvana Briand's avatar

Iran has stated that this is NOT a ceasefire but that as long as the US and Israel don't fire at them, they will not fire at the duo either. However if either of the demonic twins fires at Iran, they will in turn retaliate harder than what they received. It's a negotiation phase and fire or not is dependent on the good behaviour of dumb and Dumber...

Scott's avatar

I don't want a ceasefire, I want to keep watching Israel get pummeled. It's curing my depression.

Silvana Briand's avatar

Actually at last report Israel is still attacking and Iran is still retaliating. At the rate things are going in Lebanon Israel is literally cannibalizing it's own military to avoid acknowledgement of Hezbollah's ferocity. They lost the last skirmish really really badly and the public is turning more and more in support of Hezbollah and against the puppet regime installed by the west

Veronica Baker's avatar

It's great seeing Hezbollah get the upper hand in Lebanon, Israel really believed they had got rid of the strength of Hezbollah when they were simply regrouping and rearming themselves.

Silvana Briand's avatar

I restacked it so feel free to go look.

Veronica Baker's avatar

That's exactly what I just put in my comment. Iran remains armed and ready to hit back straight away if fired upon. Trump just words it differently to what was agreed upon, negotiation.

Ginnie's avatar

Iran is about to get nuked. The Israelis have something sinister planned. And they are ok taking the blame and letting the US save face. Good cop/bad cop. That much is clear.

Silvana Briand's avatar

If they do, you can kiss Israel goodbye, and possibly say hello to ww3

Ginnie's avatar

Who is gonna do something? If another nation drops a nuke, it is annihilation for everyone. So they will just let it go and stay out. Europe covers for Israel and so does the US. China and Russia made it clear they wont get involved,.

Silvana Briand's avatar

China and Russia made it very clear that their involvement would be backstage as long as things remained within "acceptable" escalation. Firing a nuke was stated as crossing a red line and both Russia and China were very clear that it would change how they would engage in the aftermath. Kim-Jon-Un also let it be known that North Korea would have no qualms about coming to Iran's defense under those circumstances.

John Cary's avatar

I believe that ​the Chinese government made an official statement that if israhell did anything (read nuclear)​ israhell​would no longer exist! And I think you can assume that was also a not so veiled reminder to the US of Atrocities.

I am surprised so

few/no analysts have factored North Korea into their analysis particularly as Kim has already announced support for Iran. Glad you mentioned it 👍🙏.

All these westerners/Septics who disparage Kim only mock themselves, after all he was educated in the US ivy league universities and graduated from West Point! So I think he has a more than adequate knowledge of the way the west operates 🤔😊

Veronica Baker's avatar

I can remember something like that being said by China but I can't think back to when it was or who said it, it's like time is going out of kilter, so many different things being thrown at us this last few weeks it's as if a lot longer has passed. Or maybe that's just me it's affecting like that

Ginnie's avatar

They are just pushing out the inevitable. Israel and the US have a track record of ignoring agreements and violating ceasefires and it is almost 100% certain they will do so now too. Remember, technically there is a Gaza ceasefire yet Israel continues to murder dozens each day.

There is no way the US will agree to pay millions in tolls and billions in reparations and allow them to enrich Uranium and remove sanctions. That's fantasy. This is a tactical pause so the US and Israel can regroup and rearm while avoiding an economic meltdown. My guess is Israel will, in a surprise attack, drop a nuke even if just tactical ones, on Iran. Either in 2 weeks or a year but they will do it. Given that they now seem to agree to the ceasefire, I am almost certain a sneak attack in the dark of night is the plan.

Domestically, no one is gonna impeach Trump and even on the off chance that it happens, there’s no scenario where 2/3rds of Congress votes to convict. That’s simply not how this system operates.

Trump is what happens when assholes like Pelosi and Obama refuse to hold war criminals accountable and normalize impunity - waving off war crimes as something to “move past”.

Trump didn’t break that system; he walked straight through it. That very impunity that let Bush and Co off the hook, and even rehabilitated them, with everyone's darling Michelle Obama sharing a gum with him like he was her BFF, has emboldened Trump; just as the impunity towards him now will embolden his successor.

Davina's avatar

There are other ways to remove him from office, impeachment is not the only way. Apart from the fact everyone knows the man is totally, irrationally mentally defective is just one way and a straight jacket is quick, there faster ways.

Honestly, I do not think for one millisecond that Iran is taken in by this ceasefire, and they will not let down their guard. Anyone who would trust the US or israel is a fool - Iranians are not fools. They have seen how these two work, as we all have, so no reason Iran to be foolish and walk into a trap.

Ginnie's avatar

Sure, there are other avenues, like invoking the 25th - but those require real political will and large-scale coordination. The harder truth is this: even if members of his cabinet avoid his most extreme rhetoric, many still align with the underlying goals. They may not say “annihilation,” but they wouldn’t object to Iran being pulverized. As long as that alignment holds, he stays in power - acting on their priorities while they distance themselves, blaming his “instability” and pointing to a revolving cast of scapegoats to claim their hands were tied

Kathleen McCroskey's avatar

Real war crimes tribunals. Rope.

Veronica Baker's avatar

I thought they had just invoked the 25th?

Veronica Baker's avatar

Forget that, it's just a lot of different members of government asking out loud about it should be invoked.

Veronica Baker's avatar

Iran remains armed and ready, they have made this clear, hit them and they will hit back harder. Negotiation phase only.

Elizabeth's avatar

There's a fairly good chance he dies soon. He looks like he's rotting out from the inside. And then we could find out what JD is really like......

Scott's avatar

I hope they don't abide by the ceasefire, I want Israel wiped from the map and I want the American empire brought to its knees. For decades I've tried to tell people what our govt was up to and was called a conspiracy theorist, even though I was a veteran that understood who our real enemy was.

Mary's avatar

The way 'israel' is embedded in the region it's difficult to wipe it from the map without destroying everything around it, including what's left of Palestine, and of course all the ecosystems, wildlife and animals that have suffered in this madness. I wish for its complete dismantling and disgrace rather than complete destruction. Sadly, neither look like happening.

Veronica Baker's avatar

That's the major problem.

Veronica Baker's avatar

So do all of us with common sense but I agree with Mary's comment, it's hard to remove all military posts the way they are embedded amongst the population but if Tel Aviv is totally gone and other major area's, there is the hope the others will turn tail and run.

Davina's avatar

They did not ask for billions in reparation. The said they will share the toll with their neighbours across the Strait, and use their half to rebuild what was destroyed and/or damaged by the joint illegal bombing, which is in fact more generous than I would have given that pair.

Ginnie's avatar

You’re missing the point: the demands themselves are substantial. Even without explicit language on reparations, what’s being asked is already far more than the U.S. is likely to accept.

- The Strait of Hormuz to be reopened "under the co-ordination of the armed forces of Iran".

- The war against "all components" of Iran's so-called Axis of Resistance to end.

- US forces to withdraw from "all bases and points of deployment within the region".

- The establishment of a "secure transit protocol" in the Strait of Hormuz.

- The full payment of compensation to Iran.

- The lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions, as well as the resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors and the Security Council.

- The release of all frozen Iranian assets and properties abroad.

Eddie's avatar

The US should withdraw all the bases anyway because we don't belong there.

Veronica Baker's avatar

What Trump has not said is that Iran will only allow ships to use the Strait if they are escorted by Iran's armed naval boats.

Eddie's avatar

The second Donald Trump walks out the White House, liberals will love and idolize him again.

If Congress doesn't invoke the 25th Amendment and does what it needs to do, what is the point of Congress?

Veronica Baker's avatar

Quite. A bit like what's the point of a useless UN, kind of looks like to me, they were designed to be that way.

Peter's avatar

Thanks for sharing your insight and of course it is right to be sceptical. US administrations have spent decades trying to break Iran. It gives me great pleasure that some MAGA insiders are in meltdown. I sat down with an extended family in Iran once during Eid. I am not a Muslim. They had little but gave us everything. I wonder how that family are now.

Veronica Baker's avatar

Having spent a month in Iran back in the nineties, a Muslim family even though I am not Muslim, white English, I know exactly what you mean. The people of Iran are truly a special kind of people. I left my heart in Iran and I too have worries about people living there.

Peter's avatar

Yes. I know it’s got tougher since I was there and the Revolutionary Guard has more power but decades of trying break and control the country only pushes them into a corner. I am convinced there are better ways to go. Best to you.

Veronica Baker's avatar

From all I have heard and seen, the majority of the people still support the government they have, the minority believe in the American Dream and brought into the Democracy lie, others as we know are paid opportunists. If we kept our noses out of other countries in the past before oil etc; became a greed reason, people generally sort out things for themselves and governments didn't feel the need to have to exert more control to keep their country and people safe.

jamenta's avatar

Yeah, I'm not feeling optimistic about this. Suddenly Trump & Netanyahu, both who have spent their enter lives deceiving people for their own benefit, who deceived Iran twice in negotiations - now have had a change of heart? More likely, Trump buying more time until more US military reinforcements arrive after his totally botched commando Op on Iran's nuclear reactor. Watch what they do, not what they say.

But hell, who knows. One can hope ...

Ginnie's avatar

Yeah a couple of pedos and mass murderers agreeing to a ceasefire out of the blue should

set off alarm bells for anyone.

I legit think they plan on dropping a nuke but will do so in a surprise attack. I think Israel will do it and the US will act all surprised and shocked and "opposed" to save face when in reality it's the good cop/bad cop routine that's been coordinated and staged.

Veronica Baker's avatar

The Iranians will definitely not be trusting them, that is the only consolation in this.

jamenta's avatar

Looks like Israel going whole hog on Lebanon. Clearly Netanyahu ignored the memo, and doesn't seem like Trump has any inclination to leash this mass murderer, psychopath in. Damn fool.

So, yeah this ain't going to last, past even today.

Veronica Baker's avatar

I just put this somewhere else at the the bottom of the pile. I do not know the exact wording Iran used about Lebanon. Laith Marouf from Lebanon, bombs falling at a distance as he spoke today said Israel are bombing them but have stopped the ground invasion.

If the wording used by Iran was that Israel was to stop the ground invasion, if those were the words used, sly Israel will say they are keeping to the agreement is how I see it. Having said that I have heard Iran has sent a warning about bombing Lebanon but as I haven't heard it from an Iranian source I don't know how true that is.

I do know Trump is doing a lot of the usual crap talking, I notice he hasn't warned all ships wanting to go through the Strait that it's going to be a slow journey as Iran has demanded that their military search every one, top to bottom to make sure no weapons being sneaked about and as the Iranians said, "it could take hours but we have plenty of time" Then of course escorted by an armed military boat.

jamenta's avatar

Trump not really serious about this. Come on, how many times can he dupe everyone in this maniacal clown show of his? Now splitting hairs about Israel "attacking" Lebanon, or just flat out lying about it. That's ludicrous. Sending his two clowns Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan - and adding a little more spice with Vance, someone Trump has completely marginalized now for months - is a bloody joke (if you ask me).

Iranians though, not going to go for Charlie Brown's Lucy football a third time. Hormuz has already (immediately) been closed. Good for them.

Although, one does wonder what China's next move here is going to be. If they were involved in this at all, they're probably pretty pissed off now.

Veronica Baker's avatar

I know Trump isn't serious, I think most of the world knows that, I was saying Trump would say anything, I was talking about wording of the document and Israel.

I haven't seen anything about the Strait being closed again, there again I've not been watching anything for a while, jobs to do and all that jive.

My faith as it was from day one is in Iran to be the ones to teach the West a lesson, that will never change.

jamenta's avatar

Yeah - not attacking what you wrote. tbh, I was hoping Trump might have been serious last night. But what his spokesperson is saying now is in direct contradiction to what he tweeted last night. So....

What I've heard, listening to pundits this morning, is the Strait has been closed again. But you know, I'm just some retired guy with lots of time on his hands that can listen to one youtube show after another - though I usually listen to the same round of people: Larry Johnson, Scott Ritter, Daniel Davis, Glenn Diesen, Sachs, Freeman, Hoh, Blumenthal, Mate ... Quite a list actually now that I think about it, compared to the nonsense of pundits presented on MSM.

I share your hope that something good will eventually come out of all this. But how many more people are going to die, and are these fools really going to lead us into a worldwide great depression?

Scott's avatar

Send in more and they can die too

Nancy's avatar
Apr 8Edited

I’m not generally an optimist and share some of the skepticism, and a lot of the distrust, expressed by fellow commenters. Nonetheless, this feels to me like a turning point — not so much in the intentions of Trump and Netanyahu, but in the power dynamic. The tide has shifted, and not just among the three major players, but throughout the world. A pessimistic view does not give Iran enough credit. Something significant happened. Much of the world is sick of both Israel and the U.S. It has gone along because of the perceived power of both (the power Israel derives from the U.S.), but now that there has been a crack in the U.S.’s perceived hegemony, it will continue to grow. I think the U.S. is going to have to agree to at least some of Iran’s demands, which will put Iran in a better position than it was before the illegal attack. (I’m not going to legitimize it by calling it a war, as it is illegal under both domestic and international law. These are not war crimes, but murders, like the killings in the Caribbean. We cede this point at our peril, as most of the U.S. media has done).

With the disapproval of the world, including much of the U.S. population, this could be an opportunity for the U.S. to begin controlling Israel rather than vice versa. Time to begin cutting ties. More and more people and countries are awakening to the fact of how costly this toxic relationship has been, and I’m not even talking about the money. I’m talking about our ability to live with ourselves. And of course the U.S. has not been the innocent victim in the relationship. Time for a reckoning.

Ginnie's avatar

lady they are regrouping to drop a nuke or something disastrous on Iran in a surprise attack. Being hopeful is one thing, but sadly your analysis is completely detached from anything resembling reality. This is not a turning point, peoples' disapproval of Israel or even their own government means little. Most don't live in democracies anyway and Europe doesn't even have any free speech rights. I think they arrested their own parliament members for opposing the genocide. Australia is throwing people in jail for wearing shirts the government doesn't like.

There is no international law since no one can enforce anything, ICC arrest warrants are meaningless. UN resolutions might as well be used to wipe your ass with. Ben Givir who is a literal convicted terrorist with an arrest warrant, is a free man sipping champaign to having signed an execution law for Palestinians only. These people have genocided for 3 years with impunity and torture one year olds burning cigarettes on and burrowing nails into their legs. What are you even talking about?

Veronica Baker's avatar

Most all of Europes governments especially here in England are as equally under Israel's beck and call as the USA.

Nancy's avatar

And how much power does Europe have now? That’s an example of my point. Europe, with a few exceptions, continues to lose power while it continually bows down to a bully. Iran stood up to a bully and gained power. As the underdog in the fight, it showed the world how it’s done. The U.S., the bully, is losing power. Where the U.S. goes, so goes Israel. You seemed to give Iran more credit in your other comments. Of course not everything has changed, but I take this as a win in the last round.

Veronica Baker's avatar

I can only speak for England re Israel but we handed power to the Ashkenazi Jews way back in the 1780s, and yes Iran as you realize I back to the hilt, it definitely showed how it's done, it's a win for them whilst they remain very aware of what Israel and the USA are up to, in fact could soon go pear shaped as Israel is still bombing Lebanon and part of the Iran deal is that should stop.

Nancy's avatar

I just got a post by Trita Parsi, Swedish-Iranian diplomat, in my inbox. Here are a couple of excerpts. (I don’t have a link, but he has a site on Substack).

“The forthcoming talks in Islamabad between Washington and Tehran may yet falter. But the terrain has shifted. Trump’s failed use of force has blunted the force of American military threats, introducing a new dynamic into U.S. - Iran diplomacy.

Washington can still rattle its saber. But after a failed war, such threats ring hollow. The United States is no longer in a position to dictate terms. . . “

He goes on to say that details of the ceasefire “will hinge on whether Trump can restrain Israel from undermining the diplomatic track. Senior Israel officials have already denounced the agreement as the greatest ‘political disaster’ in the country’s history.”

If Israel considers the agreement a loss for itself, isn’t that a gain for Iran? Again, I am hoping that this turn of events will help the U.S. see that its support for Israel is a liability. Trump is too addled to get it, but others here do, including, increasingly, his right-wing base.

Ginnie's avatar

"the ceasefire will hinge on whether Trump can restrain Israel from undermining the diplomatic track." Well he couldn't and he wont. That's it. The ceasefire is over, the strait closed, Trump is issuing more threats. He would rather see the Strait closed and the world economy go to shit than simply tell Israel to stop bombing civilians.

Trump's willingness to cause massive carnage and suffering as it sees itself increasingly more cornered and trapped in this war should not be underestimated. The U.S. can wreak enormous destruction on Iran and still fail strategically. Because for these people, the destruction itself is the goal. When they say “back to the stone age,” what part of that sounded like humor to you?

Veronica Baker's avatar

Thank you for sharing that, I'll check his post in a little while, I'm busy listening to Dialogue Works and Nima talking to Laith Marouf (Lebanon) while Israel's bombs fall in the distance from him, Laith is sounding very, very positively about them all getting free from that yoke of the occupiers soon.

Francis/Clare's avatar

I wish I could believe that will happen.

Nancy's avatar
Apr 8Edited

I firmly believe Iran won something here. Trump will cede some things (he’ll have to) and characterize a failure as a win, as he always does. I’m not saying that either Trump or Netanyahu have changed who they are — they haven’t. And will they always be a threat to Iran? Of course. That wasn’t my point. My point is that they lost some power in this round. I’m not saying this because it’s what most experts on the Middle East and international relations are saying— but that’s what they’re saying also.

Veronica Baker's avatar

He's talking some crap that's for sure, how he and Iran are going to run the Strait together, making it sound like half the toll which is going to Oman, is going into USA. Like I said, usual crap.

Nancy's avatar

Yeah, he’s more than full of it. His woman-child press secretary who sounds like a Stepford wife said the agreement was the result of successful negotiations by Trump. He didn’t negotiate — he backed down. Iran will get more out of this than they had before the attacks. Also, good news for the power balance that China has become involved in the negotiations. Iran has an ally, one more skilled in diplomacy than the U.S. However, I just read that Israel killed an additional 500 in Lebanon today. Rogue state, as we all know.

Veronica Baker's avatar

Don't people like her ever think how they're not always going to be in that job? She's even an insult to what they used to call a blonde bimbo.

That's good about China, they have brains like Iran and also a great way with words. Great news. If the world was honest, they all know who did the backing down. Yes Israel stopped the ground invasion and started bombing willy nilly with no rhyme nor reason.

Nancy's avatar
Apr 8Edited

Hopefully, this will backfire. A member of our Senate just introduced a bill to immediately cut off all funding to Israel because of what it’s doing in Lebanon. This wouldn’t have happened a year ago, regardless of the reason. And members are going to get a lot more pressure to pass the bill.

Even our establishment media is starting to criticize Israel over Lebanon and to question why we are supporting a country that is doing this. Change is happening much too slowly, but it’s happening. (Some of the posters have negativity as a default position in every single post), without giving any credit at all to Iran for some very smart and effective moves. I’m wondering whether a couple of them have any agency in the real world or whether its absence is the reason for the complete negativity and ever presence online. If all we’re doing is posting downers we’re part of the problem. (This was not directed at you by the way — you don’t do this). I’m just fed up with the reliable naysayers. Yes, baseless optimism is foolish, but default negatively is childish. I think some of them are not used to hard work. No one said this was going to be easy. I guess I’m angry. I’m angry at my own fellow citizens who complain all the time but don’t do anything.

Peter Sawchuk's avatar

I think we would all do well to remember the Minsk Accord. There is evidence that the U.S. / Israeli coalition is running on empty. They are most likely looking at this as an opportunity to regroup and engineer another one of their slimy under handed acts.

Patrick Powers's avatar

I say this is all fake.

Veronica Baker's avatar

I wish I could agree with you, sadly I don't.

Chang Chokaski's avatar

Caitlin, if I were a betting person, I would not give this deal even to the end of the week. I DON'T TRUST Israel or the U.S. Empire - not one bit! (There's enough history to backup my lack of faith in these two countries).

For all the reasons you mention and more, this is very, very far from over. The last 5 weeks has simply been the 'opening salvo' (or middle salvo?) of a very long war that Israel and the U.S. have been waging on Iran for decades now in different guises (IMHO).

I would love to be wrong on this and have this be a lasting peace...

7thSignSoul's avatar

TOO-WEAK! CeaseFireNow! ~ To plan ANOTHER Assassination of Negotiators, Op

Veronica Baker's avatar

Sounds about right but Iran is aware as much as you are, not sure even if they will meet in person.

7thSignSoul's avatar

🙏🏽 Hopefully🙏🏽

Veronica Baker's avatar

Very aware. I have full faith.

7thSignSoul's avatar

aaaaAnd again, israHELL proves PEACE Is ENEMY #1 of ZioSATANist DemonCanniBA’ALS ~

“NO PEACE!” is the cry of TheWicked

PEACE is GOD’s FRUIT.  PEACE is God’s CORNERSTONE and His Christmas Gift(Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 11 / John 14:27, Galatians 5:22-23)

But  there is “NO PEACE!”  IN, OF or FROM TheWicked. (Isaiah 57:19-21)

Ziton's avatar

We are all expecting the Mossad false flag attack to show how the Iranians broke the ceasefire and can’t be trusted. I wonder whether it is possible to place bets on how long?

Scott's avatar

Most people that dont have their heads buried up their asses are counting the minutes until Israel breaks the ceasefire. We all know that Trump doesn't have the balls to put Israel in its place. The only way it happens is if China picks up the phone and says this is over, end this or we end you.

Kathleen McCroskey's avatar

Yes, check out the predictions marketplace.

Mary's avatar

It was good to wake up alive this morning.

It's beyond depressing that that's the best one can hope for. Yet the thoughtful cleverness and rightful steadfastness of Iran gives hope that one day we could have a fairer world.

Levi Tate's avatar

Israel never agrees to a ceasefire unless they are permitted to continue murdering civilians.

Naomi's avatar

Iran said Lebanon was part of the ceasefire. Israel said fuck that & has been hitting Lebanon ever since. An ambulance, atleast 4 paramedics have been killed.

Israel wil not stop until it is forcibly stopped.

Sean Griobhtha's avatar

The loop will not close until citizens break it. Not soldiers — citizens. Because every citizen in a democracy is responsible for what their government does in their name. That means every American, every last one of you, is responsible for what is happening in Iran right now. For the hidden casualties. For the schoolgirls killed by American bombs. For the 120 historical sites destroyed. For the lies being told on your television screen this very minute.

https://griobhtha1.substack.com/p/eagle-claw-at-46-the-lies-havent

Stephen Walker's avatar

Israel is still attacking Lebanon, and slaughtering civilians right now. The Iranian ceasefire agreement stipulates that hostilities must cease on all fronts, including Lebanon. If the rabid Zionists fail to be reined in, Iran will probably issue a single warning. If they still continue attacking Lebanon, then “Boom Boom Tel Aviv” returns to Top of the Pops.

Stephen Walker's avatar

Iran has now issued a warning, as predicted.

Veronica Baker's avatar

One things for sure, if Iran says it's going to do a thing, it follows through.

PForty7's avatar

The last sentence of Iran's official response is the money quote:

"It is emphasized that this does not mean the war has ended, and Iran will only accept a full end to the conflict once all terms of its proposal are finalized."

David Lamb's avatar

The pressure on Trump by rational Americans must increase, making sure that he honors his deal with Iran and gets US troops out of Israel's mass murder agenda.

We know Israel will not honor any peace deal, and Iran has every right to resolve that problem permanently, without US intervention.

Mikhael Arnold's avatar

Americans or anyone else can't 'make sure' Donald Trump' does anything. The world won't be safe until he's 'gone'...

Chuck Nasmith's avatar

The world won't be safe until Israel is gone, and it's reps are charged with War crimes.

Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

The world won't be safe until the pathocracies are gone, everywhere, but best to start with the two most emboldened, Israel and USA.

Chuck Nasmith's avatar

One State. Greater Palestine & the world.

David Lamb's avatar

London is the lair of the top demons. But abolishing states would do nothing to stop them. They control power centers globally, at all levels. They've been perfecting the art of covert infiltration & subversion for thousands of years.

David Lamb's avatar

Ultimately Americans could absolutely serve up justice to the entire Epstein cabal, if even 10% had the courage & fortitude to come together do what's necessary. But we probably agree that the public will do nothing meaningful.

Trump gone wouldn't change anything. He's a front man, like every other president, groomed for this role since he was a teen. Did you know he's a distant cousin of Hillary Clinton, via his mother?

Jim S's avatar

Thank You Caitlin

William Rice's avatar

This is all very good except for one thing. How do we get Israel to stop bombing Lebanon? The Israeli's have never honored a ceasefire yet.