FORMER U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY WARNS IRAN WAR HAS “NO EASY WAY OUT”

FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN WARNS WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN BOTH BELIEVE THEY CAN OUTLAST EACH OTHER, MAKING A DIPLOMATIC BREAKTHROUGH INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT.

AUSTIN SAYS THE GULF WILL NEVER RETURN TO ITS PREWAR STATE, CITING DAMAGED INFRASTRUCTURE, THREATS TO THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND GROWING MILITARY COOPERATION AMONG U.S. ADVERSARIES.

HE ALSO CRITICIZED TRUMP'S RUSSIAN DIESEL DEAL, WARNING IT WON'T SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FUEL PRICES AND COULD HELP MOSCOW SUSTAIN ITS WAR IN UKRAINE.

“THERE IS NO EASY WAY OUT.” ...