President Donald Trump made the right call in agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, which has two weeks to "implement this in a reasonable way," former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker told Newsmax on Wednesday.
Appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Volker said Trump's decision to avoid further escalation while still applying pressure on Tehran to follow through on its commitments was the right move.
"Let's all be grateful that President Trump did not try to eliminate a civilization," Volker said. "I think he made the right call. We don't need to go down that road. We need to find a solution."
Volker highlighted the reported agreement by Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a key early test of the ceasefire's credibility.
The shipping lane is critical to global energy markets and supply chains.
"That's important for the global economy, for gasoline, for shipping and so forth," he said. "We have to see now — we have two weeks. Let's see if they actually implement this in a reasonable way."
The ceasefire follows weeks of heightened tensions and military action involving the United States and Israel aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions and regional activities.
Trump has called the agreement a major step toward restoring stability while maintaining U.S. strength.
Volker noted that while concerns remain about Iran's internal behavior — including its history of cracking down on protesters — the administration has stayed focused on core national security priorities rather than pursuing regime change.
"President Trump never set out to go about regime change here," Volker said. "I personally believe that that is where we'll end up" if Iran fails to comply, particularly if it attempts to disrupt shipping or hold the international community "hostage."
He acknowledged the moral concerns surrounding Iran's treatment of its own people but said Americans are likely to weigh carefully whether deeper intervention is justified.
"Killing the protesters is terrible. It's something that we should be deeply concerned about," Volker said.
"But I think a lot of Americans will be asking themselves, is it really worth it for us to set the goal of toppling that regime for the protesters' sake?"
Volker also pointed to Trump's Wednesday meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte as an opportunity to reinforce Western unity and build on the ceasefire's momentum.
"I would like to see our allies step up and help more," he said, suggesting that a coordinated U.S.-European approach could strengthen enforcement and ensure long-term success.
Volker said NATO remains a cornerstone of deterrence, adding that a united alliance sends a clear message to adversaries.
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Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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