TEHRAN – After announcing the acceptance of Iran’s conditions by the US President Donald Trump and the announcement of a ceasefire on April 8, which marked a definite failure of the US and Israel in the war against Iran, several international artists and cultural figures have reacted on social media.

Robert A. Pape is Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago posted on X: “Here’s the 10-point peace plan found ‘acceptable’ by Trump now circulating. Huge strategic defeat for the US, biggest loss since Vietnam. Shows the surge of Iran as the emerging 4th center of world power”.

Iran’s 10-point peace plan is as follows: Guarantee that Iran will not be attacked again, permanent end to the war not just a ceasefire, end to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, lifting of all US sanctions on Iran, end to all regional fighting against Iranian allies, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Iran would impose a $2m fee per ship transiting Hormuz, Iran would split these fees with Oman, Iran would establish rules for safe passages through Hormuz, and Iran would use Hormuz fees for reconstruction instead of reparations.

Also referring to the plan, Owen Jones, British columnist, commentator, journalist, and author, wrote on X: “This is Iran’s 10-point plan, which Trump has accepted as ‘a workable basis on which to negotiate’.”

“Have no doubt: This is the biggest strategic defeat suffered by the US since its emergence as a superpower”.

American author Don Winslow wrote on X: “Donald Trump created an international disaster over absolutely NOTHING and then entered into a negotiation in which he gave up EVERYTHING”.

This guy is a massive loser elected by 77 million lost and misguided Americans. America is weak under Trump,” he added.

Canadian journalist Mark Slapinski wrote on X: “History was made tonight. The United States LOST the war in Iran”.

Max Burns, a political columnist for MSNBC, The Hill, US News & World Report and DAME Magazine, wrote on X: “So Donald Trump fought this disastrous war in Iran and the end result is a deal in which Iran gets: Control of Strait of Hormuz, unlimited uranium enrichment, all US sanctions lifted, all UN resolutions against it lifted, and cash compensation from the US. Who won again?”

Janice Stein, professor of conflict management at the University of Toronto, said: “This is frankly a huge strategic defeat for the United States, no matter what”. 

She added that "neither the US nor Israel have reached their goals, and Iran now controls twenty percent of the world's oil and natural gas, which is an incredibly great victory for the Iranians.

Well-known American author Stephen King wrote on X: “In February, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in the United States was $2.91. Now it’s $4.22”.

“That’s what you get when you elect an idiot the president of the United State, allow him to start a war without congressional approval,” he added.

Amr Waked, celebrated Egyptian actor, appreciated Iranian resistance in the US-Israeli imposed war and wrote on X: “… Oh God, bless the Iranian nation and their missiles upon us.”

Italian film producer Robin Monotti, publishing an image of the graves of the student martyrs of Minab, wrote on X: “Melania on the children in Iran: ‘All of this is happening for their future so they will be safe in years to come’.”

The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 and for 40 days martyred about 2,000 people including the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, several officials, and military commanders as well as numerous civilians, including women and children.

The aggressors claimed at the beginning that the attacks were aimed at preventing Iran’s nuclear program but they later revealed their real objectives. For Israel, the maximalist goal was the regime change in Iran and the US sought to seize the oil and gas resources of the country.

Therefore, besides some military targets, the US and Israel launched organized attacks against civilian infrastructure, including residential homes, hospitals, refineries, power plants, schools, universities, art and cultural spaces, bookstores, museums, and ancient sites in several cities, causing total or partial damages and injuring innocent people, in an attempt to force the country to surrender to their illegitimate demands.

On the first day of the attacks, the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan Province, became the site of a devastating massacre. While dozens of girls and boys aged between 7 and 12 were beginning their lessons, the school was targeted by a missile strike that caused the building to collapse, trapping children and teachers beneath the rubble. Iranian authorities confirmed a final death toll of 185 people, with about 100 others wounded.

The attacks prompted a swift response from the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), with missile and drone launches targeting Israel and several U.S. bases in the region, which were gradually intensified.

The Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced in a statement on April 8 that Iran had achieved a great victory and forced the US and Israel to accept its 10-point plan.

Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, wrote on X: “Considering the request by the US for negotiations and acceptance of the general framework of Iran’s 10-pont proposal as a basis for negotiations, I hereby declare on behalf of Iran's Supreme National Security Council: If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations. For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations”.

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