Adam Ereli, a former US ambassador to Bahrain, said President Donald Trump has no “realistic plan” on Iran as the war continues. In an interview with Al Jazeera cited in a report published on August 3, 2026, Ereli said it was impossible to know whether Trump had cancelled planned strikes this week to keep the path open for diplomatic talks. But he said the lack of a viable plan had become clearer as the conflict lengthened.

Ereli said the Trump administration was seeking the quickest and least costly way out of what he described as a dead end or maze of its own making. He said Trump’s conduct throughout the war had followed a recurring pattern. According to Ereli, Trump convinces himself that sustained heavy US strikes on Iran will force the Islamic Republic into an agreement.

He said leaders of several Gulf countries then call Trump to urge against such strikes, fearing they would face Iran’s retaliation. Trump subsequently steps back and says the United States will give diplomacy another chance, while maintaining threats to be ready to strike if Iran rejects a deal. Ereli said the cycle leaves Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz, with claimed agreements later collapsing.