ArcaMax

Apparently, President Donald Trump's Easter weekend threats of economic obliteration by military bombardment (and perhaps the occupation of key oil export facilities) can forward diplomacy with homicidal zealots -- or whoever is left in the scattered leadership of Iran's ayatollah regime.

In Trumpian "art of the deal" terminology, the threats of economic obliteration created and obtained maximum leverage.

An hour and 25 minutes before his 8 p.m. EDT deadline for launching massive conventional attacks on Iran's energy, transportation and manufacturing infrastructure, Trump announced a "double sided ceasefire."

Trump said Iranian leaders had proposed a 10-point plan that met all nonnegotiable U.S. demands and is a "workable basis on which to negotiate."

That means the 10-point plan commits Iran to terminating its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

In a social media post, Trump emphasized Iran's agreement to the immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.

Translation: Iran's leaders guarantee safe passage of oil tankers. Expected economic effect: IF the ceasefire lasts and produces safe passage, global fuel prices will drop and stabilize over the next six weeks.

IF is capitalized because Iran's leaders could still cheat and renege on the emerging deal, or fail to enforce it.

Who are these Iranian leaders? Good question. For 47 years, the ayatollah regime thrived on lies and cheating. The leaders who made the ceasefire deal are creatures of that state.

Which is why the Trump administration must keep the U.S. military pointed at their collective heads. Call it maintaining leverage -- or Reaganesque trust but verify.

After six weeks of U.S. and Israel firepower, Iran is a fractured state. I think it's very likely the remnant regime lacks the power to control its own forces and fulfill its ceasefire commitment, or at least fulfill it quickly.

In fact, less than an hour after Trump's announcement, both the United Arab Emirates and Israel reported scattered Iranian missile attacks.

Were the missiles a command and control breakdown by Iran's remnant regime or intentional duplicity? That remains to be determined. Given the effectiveness of U.S. and Israeli firepower, I'll wager military and security communications within Iran are iffy at best. I'm writing this column April 7. We should know if the dealmakers can gain control over their own forces in Iran within the next 72 hours.

As for Iran's proxy forces? Unfortunately, Israel will face trouble from Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. One missile fired on Israel after the agreement announcement came from Yemen -- meaning it was fired by the Houthis. Does the agreement include halting Iranian support for its proxies? It had better. That will deny the Houthis new ballistic missiles -- but they will continue to wage war with rifles.

If the shooting continues and the new leaders break the deal, "Trump's Hell" will be unleashed.

After Trump threatened to obliterate energy and economic infrastructure, Iran began placing old ladies and children around electrical facilities and bridges. That's right, human shields -- what Saddam did in 1990.

Iranian propagandists and pro-thug media throughout the world ran videos of forlorn women in black robes walking beneath power lines. The videos were an attempt to stop U.S. attacks on the power lines.

The Iranian regime was committing a crime by employing involuntary human shields -- using hostages to protect a legitimate military target. Using hostage civilians as human shields is prohibited under international humanitarian law.

However, American media idiots were ready to indict Trump as a war criminal.

It appears Trump is waging a successful war to disarm an evil regime that seeks nuclear weapons and oppresses and murders its own people.

========

To find out more about Austin Bay and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

----

Copyright 2026 Creators Syndicate, Inc.