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Joe Kent Has a Theory on Iran. Donald Trump Has Another.
Two worshippers pass beneath a banner of Iran’s late Supreme Leader in Tehran, on March 21, 2026. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Any deal to avert a war would have had to let Iran enrich uranium. That was unacceptable to Trump.
By Eli Lake
03.26.26 — U.S. Politics
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Before President Donald Trump pulled the trigger on Operation Epic Fury, the restrainers in his administration were fighting a losing battle. This faction wanted to prevent the war for Iran that America and Israel are now waging.

The restrainers in the administration wanted Trump to make a deal with Iran’s Supreme Leader. And part of that deal would be to allow Iran to hold on to its uranium enrichment industry. In other words, it would be a redo of Barack Obama’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear bargain forged at the end of 2015 and that Donald Trump ran against in 2016.

Despite the president’s long-standing disrespect for Iran’s right to enrich uranium, his second term has included quite a few powerful members who do respect it. One of them is the former chief of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent. He resigned last week and ever since he has been on a media tour to blame Israel and its American supporters for dragging America into another Middle East regime-change war.

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Eli Lake
Eli Lake is the host of Breaking History, a new history podcast from The Free Press. A veteran journalist with expertise in foreign affairs and national security, Eli has reported for Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, and Newsweek. With Breaking History, he brings his sharp analysis and storytelling skills to uncover the connections between today’s events and pivotal moments in the past.
Tags:
Foreign Policy
Iran
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