Academic says Trump's statement on Iran is mere political rhetoric
“Declaration of victory on social media is not peace
Jakarta (ANTARA) - An Associate Professor at Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. HAMKA (Uhamka), Emaridial Ulza, says US President Donald Trump’s statements about Iran are merely political rhetoric and do not reflect the actual situation.
This was stated in response to Trump’s post on the Truth Social platform, in which he labelled Iran as ‘The Loser of the Middle East’ and portrayed Iran as having ‘surrendered’ to neighbouring countries after attacks by the US and Israel, and even claimed that Iran is not the ‘aggressor in the Middle East’, but rather the ‘loser of the Middle East’. Furthermore, the statement threatened Iran with a ‘very hard blow’, opening up the possibility of targeting regions or groups not previously in the crosshairs.
‘Donald Trump has a habit of presenting victory as the first message to pressure opponents psychologically,’ Emaridial said in a written statement in Jakarta, on Sunday.
The member of the Foreign Relations and International Cooperation Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council also said the statement is full of contradictions, showing that the on-the-ground situation in the war agenda is likely very complex and the US is under pressure.
According to Emaridial, similar patterns have repeatedly been seen, including since the trade negotiations with China, the North Korea crisis, and earlier conflicts in the same region.
He also noted that Trump’s claim that Iran ‘has surrendered’ is almost certainly framing for domestic consumption to build a triumphant narrative he needs for his people and for the world, rather than an accurate description of the ground conditions.
‘Declaration of victory on social media is not peace. In many episodes of history, rhetoric like this can prolong cycles of escalation. Moreover, with allied countries such as Britain or Spain not joining, following Germany’s non-participation in this war reinforces that Trump needs negotiations,’ said the Chairman of the Central Leadership of Muhammadiyah Youth in the Foreign Relations Sector.
‘Indonesia, positioned on the Board of Peace established by Trump and also part of BRICS, could act as a conduit, albeit not directly; at the very least the goodwill of President Prabowo could lessen tensions with all the consequences that come with it,’ Emaridial Ulza added.”