Why Iran Is Claiming Victory

US forces secured a "historic and overwhelming victory" over Iran, defense chief Pete Hegseth declared Wednesday, adding that "Iran proved utterly incapable of defending itself." Iran, of course, begs to differ, with its national security council boasting that it delivered "an undeniable, historic, and crushing defeat" to its foes, per the Wall Street Journal. A Washington Post piece finds that behind the bluster, neither side is a "clear winner," but the newspaper is among a number of outlets exploring why Tehran is maintaining victory. The short version: The regime survived, albeit after losing key figures; Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz; and it still possesses a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, per Politico.

"What Iran did, systematically and deliberately, was hurt the US economy" by shutting down the strait and sending oil prices soaring, Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute tells the Journal. "They made sure the war was felt in the US," he says, adding, "I don't think Trump's going to try that again." And even after the ceasefire, Iran continues to maintain control over which ships are allowed to navigate the strait. "The implication: Iran is intent on using its newfound control over the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf as leverage over Trump as the Islamic Republic seeks to rebuild its power after the biggest threat to its survival in decades," writes David S. Cloud of the Journal.

The Post, meanwhile, notes that crowds filled the streets of Tehran after the ceasefire announcement, triumphantly waving their nation's flag, far from the "unconditional surrender" President Trump had previously demanded. Not that Iran emerged unscathed: In additon to the relentless bombing attacks from the US and Israel, it is now more isolated than ever in the region because of its attacks on neighboring nations. Still, as one Asian diplomat tells Politico of Hegseth's threat to resume strikes if necessary, "Declaring victory by saying he will attack Iran some more seems like losing."