The Memo: Trump vexed by crashing crosscurrents in seeking end to Iran war

When is a ceasefire not a ceasefire?

President Trump has been dancing around the question this past week as he seeks to preserve an uneasy semi-peace with Iran while searching for a lasting deal to end the war that he began 10 weeks ago.

Trump and other senior figures in his administration have been at pains to avoid declaring the monthlong ceasefire over. They have shown little appetite for a return to full-scale combat.

Yet, at the same time, they complain of Iranian attacks on U.S. interests, boast of the fearsome powers of the American military, and threaten doom if Tehran does not comply with their demands.

Iranian leaders display little inclination to fold, however — at least if their public statements are to be believed. 

The Islamic Republic has been damaged by the war, but its leaders appear to believe that time is on their side. Their internal grip on power appears firm, they retain some capacity to attack other Persian Gulf nations while maintaining a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and the result has been continuing turmoil on global energy markets.

The Trump administration cannot ignore the fact that the war is deeply unpopular at home, in part because of the way it has spiked gas prices for Americans. The average price of a gallon of gas on Friday, according to AAA, was $4.55, up from just below $3 right before the war began.

The bottom line is that Trump has a strong motivation to find a diplomatic off-ramp from the conflict. But the exit is anything but easy to map — and is further complicated by his desire to claim an overwhelming victory. 

These crashing crosscurrents often create an apparent........

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