The spectacle is striking. A politician who built much of his career portraying Iran as America’s foremost adversary now finds himself repeatedly defending engagement with Tehran. Recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, justifying an interim agreement with Iran and downplaying some of the conflict’s most controversial episodes, have exposed a political contradiction that his critics are eager to exploit. For months, Trump projected toughness toward Iran. The conflict that erupted earlier this year was accompanied by maximalist rhetoric, including demands related to Tehran’s nuclear program, missile capabilities and regional influence. Yet the realities of war, economic disruption and geopolitical risk appear to have forced a recalibration. As energy markets reacted nervously and fears mounted over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Washington’s priorities shifted from coercion to de-escalation. Trump’s defense of the emerging deal rests largely on economics. He argues that continuing hostilities threatened global growth, financial stability and energy supplies. Speaking at the G7 summit, he linked market optimism directly to diplomatic progress and warned that a prolonged conflict could have triggered an economic catastrophe. However, this pragmatic argument sits uneasily alongside years of political messaging that cast Iran as an irredeemable threat. Critics on both the American right and in Israel question why an administration that once demanded sweeping concessions is now prepared to settle for a framework that leaves many contentious issues unresolved. The memorandum signed this week reportedly focuses on halting fighting and reopening key trade routes while postponing........

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