Kathrine Frich
The war with Iran has now entered its 24th day.
Fighting continues with no clear end in sight, as tensions escalate across the region and beyond.
And questions are growing about how the conflict is being handled at the highest level.
Sharp criticism
Former CIA director Leon Panetta has criticised President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict with Iran, warning that there is no clear path forward, according to The Guardian cited by Hotnews.
Panetta, who also served as US defense secretary, said the president’s approach has contributed to instability, including turmoil in global energy markets.
He argued that the administration underestimated how Iran could respond to military pressure.
‘Naive’ approach
Panetta accused Trump of misjudging how events would unfold.
“If he says it and keeps saying it, there’s always a hope that what he says will come true. But that’s what kids do. Presidents don’t do that,” he said.
He added that Trump “tends to be naive about how things can happen.”
Strait crisis
A key concern has been the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas supplies.
Panetta said US officials have long understood that Iran could disrupt the passage, triggering a major energy crisis.
He suggested the current situation was predictable and should have been factored into decision-making.
“In every national security council I’ve been on where I’ve talked about Iran, this topic has always been brought up,” he said.
Leadership fallout
Panetta also questioned the impact of the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in an Israeli strike backed by the US.
He argued the move strengthened hardliners rather than weakening the regime.
“We replaced an old man, a supreme leader who was close to death… And instead, today we have a more entrenched regime,” he said.
According to Panetta, the new leadership is likely to take a tougher stance and remain in power longer.
No clear exit
He warned that without a ceasefire, the US cannot claim success.
Trump “can declare victory all he wants, but if he doesn’t get a ceasefire, he has nothing,” Panetta said.
He added that such an outcome is unlikely while Iran maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz.
“And it will not achieve a ceasefire as long as Iran holds the Strait of Hormuz at its temple,” he concluded.
Sources: The Guardian, Hotnews
