Former Biden National Security Council (NSC) coordinator Brett McGurk appeared on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” on Monday, giving him a “very high mark” on how President Donald Trump and his NSC handled the Iranian conflict.
Trump announced on Monday that a “full ceasefire” has been agreed between Israel and Iran, adding that Iran will “start a ceasefire” to start Israel “in 12 hours.” In response, McGurk told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that the first phase of the retreating conflict has begun.
“We said this crisis is now in a phase of beginning to recede. Let’s say two things: Number one, we talked about the turn, the escalation ladder we were doing. The American strike was Turn one,” McGurk said.
“We were waiting for Turn 2 from Iran. You’re going to try and put the ceiling there. That’s exactly what happened today,” McGurk added. “This turn from the Iranians, the reaction was not a real response. It was choreographed and telegraphed. Most missiles were interestingly defeated by both Catary defenses and US defenses.”
Tensions between Israel and Iran escalated on June 12 after Israel launched a preemptive attack on Iran, killing military officials and struck the site of the nuclear weapons program. With increasing numbers of questions about the potential involvement of the US, Trump warned Iran that the US could ultimately intervene. (Related: Megyn Kelly guest writes about the “most difficult” factors for Americans in the Iranian showdown)
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As the counter strike continued between Israel and Iran, White House spokesman Caroline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump will decide whether the US will be involved within two weeks. But by Saturday evening, Trump had worked on the true society to announce “a highly successful attack on three nuclear sites in Iran.”
McGurk said the “gusts of back channel diplomacy” led to the US ordering a strike against Iran. When Israel predicts that it will “continue to patrol Iran’s airspace,” McGurk said negotiations with Iran are facing a “deadline.”
“The bottom line, this is about the best place we can do. I’m giving this national security team and President Trump a very high mark to manage this crisis and give us a place where we are, but let’s follow for now,” McGurk said.
“Here we have diplomatic opportunities not only on the Iranian side but also on Gaza. These talks are also going back channels. There is a Hamas delegation in Cairo. Try putting that ceasefire.
Just two days after Trump announced the US strike against Iran, the foreign countries launched an attack on U.S. Air Force Base Al Udeid in Qatar. Trump later confirmed that Iran had warned the US ahead of the strike, noting that there were no US casualties.
Following Trump’s announcement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragut I said X, their military operations will continue “until 4am” right after the 4am deadline is over, and the Israeli Defense Forces will continue. Posted In X, the siren “reverberated in Israel for the launch of missiles from Iran.”
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