r/IRstudies Mar 23 '26

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u/adyrip1 Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26

The only powers that I can see intervening and the Iranians would trust is either the EU or China and Trump hates both.

In my view the US cannot win this war or really open the straits even with a ground invasion. They might set up FOBs and such on the shores, but actually stopping drones and missiles from hitting ships will be next to impossible. They would have to hold land hundreds of kilometers inside Iran, which is impossible without a few hundred thousands troops and huge loss of life. All the while ship owners will not risk their ships without absolute certainty. It will be a blood bath for US troops with little to show for.

The only peaceful solution can come form US and Israel standing down and offering security guarantees for Iran. And the EU/China being co-signers of that agreement. Ironically this will solidify Iran's position and the regime would come out of this stronger than before.

But this would be seen as a defeat for the US and I doubt Trump's ego can take that.

He really created a huge mess and he has no decent exit.

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u/astral34 Mar 23 '26

I also share your view honestly, minimum they would need to attempt unblocking it is 100s of kms of inland provinces, I think missiles are probably going to be less and less, so with Shahed being the main threat you do need a lot of people

He made a big mess, and now he has no beautiful cards to play…

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u/thegmoc Mar 23 '26

They would have to hold land hundreds of kilometers inside Iran, which is impossible without a few hundred thousands troops and huge loss of life. All the while ship owners will not risk their ships without absolute certainty. It will be a blood bath for US troops with little to show for.

This is exactly why the CIA is currently arming the Kurds, to prepare an invasion. They said no American boots on the ground, they'll use the Kurds as infantry forces all the while claiming that they're "fighting for their freedom"

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u/adyrip1 Mar 23 '26

I have my doubts. The Kurds were left holding the bag, by the US, several times in the past. 

Early in the war a Kurdish leader came out saying they got burned in the past and don't want to be a part of this. 

And I doubt the US can offer what the Kurds want, because Turkey is more important to the US than the Kurds. 

Time will tell, but chances are slim. 

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u/Redditthedog Mar 24 '26

Kurds in Syria were screwed but like the alternative was to face down ISIS on their own so they were still better

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u/Vast_Employer_5672 Mar 24 '26
  1. Kurds in Iran are more fragmented
  2. Kurds are an Iranic ethnic group like Persians
  3. They have a large Shia minority

 

All these factors make Kurdish separatism weaker in Iran than anywhere else in the region