What Total Iranian Victory Over Trump Looks Like: Five War Goals Explained

As President Donald Trump attempts to impose new demands for a deal that would put an end to the United States-Israeli war against Iran, the Islamic Republic continues to maintain a defiant stance, seeking concessions that would have profound ramifications for the region. Iranian observers say this confidence is rooted in their government's steadfast belief that it has gained the upper hand in the war amid reports of mounting frustration in the White House. "Trump imposed this illegal war on Iran, but the Iranians stood firm and resilient, and have defeated America so far," Tehran-based security analyst Alireza Taghavinia told Newsweek. The resulting equation means the Islamic Republic no longer views itself as fighting a war for survival but rather a battle to turn the tables on a superpower by enforcing its own key objectives, of which Taghavinia identified five leading goals for Iran to usher in "a powerful end to the war in its own favor": (1) US Military Withdrawal -- "Today, the first issue for every Iranian is that we must ensure that Iran is no longer invaded and that war is forever removed from Iranian soil," Taghavinia said. (2) US Pays for Damage -- "Iran is seeking compensation and considers itself the victor in the war because it was able to defeat America, thwart Trump's goals, and gain control of the Strait of Hormuz," Taghavinia said. "Of course, if America does not pay the damages, the Arab sheikhdoms... must pay the money." (3) Iran Dominates Strait of Hormuz -- "Iran's achievement in the war, namely dominating the Strait of Hormuz and generating revenue from this waterway, must be recognized, and there is a national consensus in Iran on this matter," Taghavinia said. (4) Nuclear rights recognition and (5) sanctions removal -- "Iran's nuclear rights must be recognized by the world, and Iran must be recognized in the world as a normal and powerful actor," Taghavinia said. "This is a victory for Iran," said Amir Hossein Vazirian, another Tehran-based analyst. He recalled that since the pre-Revolutionary era, "Iran believed that security order in the Persian Gulf is the issue of the Persian Gulf countries, without any foreign intervention." But Vazirian noted that a divide persists in the opposing perceptions of the U.S. and Iran regarding their roles in the conflict, with both sides viewing themselves as the victor. "There is a gap between the two countries on the winner of the war," Vazirian told Newsweek. "The United States believes that they succeeded in obliterating Iranian nuclear facilities and naval equipment, and so on and so forth. And the Iranian narrative is different. This is a part of the challenge to reach an agreement between them." Vazirian also noted a June letter to Khamenei in which 85 officials reportedly appealed for a shift from an "eye for an eye" approach to a "head for an eye": "The principle is changed. Unlike an eye for an eye, the new Iranian strategy is based on a head for an eye," Vazirian said, "and regardless of its credibility or its possibility, it is a reference to Iran's imagination about its powerful position in this war."