'Success leads many astray to their ruin'

• Iran must cease threatening Israel existentially because as long as Israel is threatened, it has every right to defend itself, including preemptively attacking Iran, preventing future conflagration and ensuring regional stability.
• Iran must end any financial aid and military support to its so-called "axis of resistance." Iran's main proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, have largely been decimated by Israel, and Iran can now see the futility of supporting such groups. Instead, Iran can exert regional influence through its sheer human and natural resources and geostrategic location.
• Finally, Iran must no longer meddle in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and exploit it for its own benefit. It must leave it to Saudi Arabia, the US, Israel, and the Palestinians to find an enduring solution that meets the aspirations of both people.

Trump, who does not want to have a war under his watch, now has a golden opportunity to capitalize on Israel's success and take credit for helping Israel downgrade Iran's military capability and nuclear program dramatically. He should accept Pezeshkian's call for a ceasefire and readiness to resume the nuclear negotiations. Trump will find the Iranians far more flexible than in the past because they desperately want to end the war, prevent the US from entering the fray, and preserve the regime.

Trump should heed the Greek philosopher Phaedrus's advice: "Success leads many astray to their ruin." It is hard to further inflate Trump's and Netanyahu's egos, but then lose what they have already gained. Both must bear in mind that the war has now reached a perilous crossroads and could engulf the region in an all-out war. It would be a tragic mistake if Trump decides to join Netanyahu, who is eager to draw the US into the war, hoping that this would bring about the collapse of the regime without considering the horrific repercussions.

Trump should not be persuaded by Netanyahu to get America into a war that no one wants except Netanyahu. Trump's ego is best served if he emerges as a peacemaker who not only solved the conflict over Iran's nuclear program but also ushered in a new era of regional stability and peace.

Yes, this may be too hopeful and optimistic, but then again, we must never give up trying.