Under the political atmosphere of "Winning School" dominating, the White House is closely following US President Donald Trump, with everyone from top to bottom framing the US-Iran MOU as a US victory. However, in the context of American politics becoming increasingly polarized, other domestic voices seem to have formed an alternative consensus on this matter.
From the "neo-conservative godfather" Robert Kagan to the famous representative of the MAGA movement, Tucker Carlson, from Jeffrey Sachs, who was once a neo-libertarian but now supports "global southern developmentism," to his friend, political scholar John Mearsheimer, they all believe that Iran has won this war.
Both the presidents of the United States and Iran have remotely signed the agreement. Although both sides agreed to reserve 60 days for negotiations, there are still many doubts about the feasibility of this agreement. On June 20th, local time, Iranian scholar Mohammad Marandi stated in an exclusive interview with Brazilian media Brasil de Fato that due to Israel continuing its attacks on Lebanon, most Iranians lack trust in the prospects of the agreement.
Nevertheless, Iran is still betting on the implementation of this agreement. Not only some Americans think so, Malanda also said: “This is clearly a victory for Iran, as the United States has promised to return the stolen assets… and will lift sanctions on Iran’s oil and energy exports, end the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and stop the genocide in Lebanon.”
He said that the United States tried to destroy Iran’s economy but failed, which is why they are seeking an agreement. “And at the negotiating table, we also see that Iran has the upper hand. I believe this all indicates that the United States and Europe, especially Europe, are no longer in a position to impose their will on other countries. The West is declining, while the Global South is rising.”
Marandi also believes that Iran will strengthen its cooperation with countries in the Global South, BRICS countries, and members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. It will further enhance its control over the Hormuz Strait, thereby becoming more capable of achieving economic growth and exerting regional as well as global influence than ever before.
In his view, “Iran’s victory over the United States” represents a “turning point in world history.” Shiite Islam is an ideology aimed at resisting global hegemony and liberating oppressed people. He also mentioned that Iran is about to host a grand funeral for its late supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Khamenei always stood firm in opposing oppressors, defending the oppressed, and safeguarding national sovereignty. This stance has allowed the world today to view Iran from a new perspective.
Mohammad Marandi, Professor of Literature at Tehran University and expert in geopolitics
According to “Real Brazil,” while commentators for Fox News in the United States lamented the so-called “failure of the empire,” the “Islamabad Memorandum” was issued. The contents of the memorandum include measures to end sanctions against Iran and other matters. At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered continued bombing of Lebanon in an attempt to undermine this memorandum. Meanwhile, Tehran regards it as a “historic achievement.”
Iranians believe that this war, just like the Battle of Stalingrad in the past, has changed the world. Iran has not only become a dominant force in West Asia, showing military superiority over its neighbors, especially Israel, but it has also established itself as a global power. It has not only prevented the most powerful military machine in history from imposing its will through force, but now it actually controls the world's most important energy chokepoint—the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian scholar, Professor of Literature at Tehran University, and expert in geopolitics, Marandy was one of the advisors to the Iranian government during the negotiations for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between 2015 and 2018. This plan aimed to regulate Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relaxation of sanctions against Western Asian countries.
When discussing why the United States accepted the "Islamabad Memorandum," Marandi clearly stated that the United States lost this war and military conflict. After 39 days of fighting, Iran emerged victorious. He said that Iran defeated not only Israel, but also a coalition consisting of the United States, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. The entire Western world and NATO countries stood on the side of this coalition.
Marandi said that the United States has suffered counterproductive effects after getting involved in maritime wars, and its actions are destroying the global economy. Iran, however, has persisted until the end. Therefore, the United States now needs to reach an agreement. He stated that the agreement itself is not bad; it is a good agreement, but the United States is not yet ready to implement it. If the United States does not fulfill the agreement, Iran will also not fulfill its commitments. He once again emphasized that Israel is killing civilians every day, and under such circumstances, the agreement will not be implemented.
Regarding Israel's failure to sign the memorandum and its continued attacks on Lebanon, Marandy stated that there is currently no indication that the United States will take action to force Israel to stop its "genocidal attacks" against Lebanese civilians. Theoretically, the United States could stop Israel at any time, as Israel relies entirely on the United States. However, the United States not only assisted Israel in carrying out the “massacre” in Gaza, but also supported Israel in continuing its “genocides” in Lebanon. He believes that the United States actually wishes for Israel to continue its actions.
The only problem is that the actions of the United States and Trump, as well as Netanyahu, have triggered a global economic crisis. As a result, there is a disagreement between Trump’s interests and those of the Israeli regime. Israel doesn’t care about the global economy, but Trump’s political fate is closely linked to the US economy. Even though Trump and Vice President Biden have made tough statements against Netanyahu, for Iran, the only important thing is whether the United States will fulfill its obligations; otherwise, Iran won’t fulfill its own obligations either.
U.S. and Iran's presidents remotely signed an understanding memorandum between the two countries; video screenshot
Marandy stated that Iran will not allow U.S. naval vessels to enter the Persian Gulf in the future, in order to avoid creating an environment conducive to attacks against Iran. Therefore, trade through the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war state. Trade will continue, but each vessel will have to pay a fee, and the United States will not be able to use this strait for military purposes in the Persian Gulf.
Regarding Europe’s role in lifting sanctions, he stated that the West is losing its global status and continuing to decline, and its ability to contain Iran is rapidly weakening. Iran not only emerged victorious from the 39-day war but also managed to survive the “containment campaign” launched by the United States.
When discussing Iran's victory, Marandy cited what Kagan wrote in an article in The Atlantic Monthly. He described this as "the greatest disaster in American history." He believes this is a "turning point in world history." Although the region and the world will still face difficult times in the future, Iran will continue to rise, while the West will continue to decline.
Malanda specifically pointed out that Iran's relations with China and Russia are clearly developing and strengthening. The reasons for this are quite obvious: on one hand, Iran and China are natural partners; on the other hand, the West holds a hostile attitude towards both Iran and China.
He further predicted that the "Islamabad Memorandum" reached with the United States will not distance Iran from its friends and partners in the "majority of the world." He saw no possibility of improving relations between Iran and the West, as the United States cannot act like a normal country, while Europe is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Therefore, Iran's future lies not in the West, but in the "majority of the world."
Currently, the Iranian side is preparing for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, scheduled for the first week of July. Marandi said that this will be a monumental funeral ceremony, as Khamenei enjoyed great prestige in Iran and was also beloved by supporters of the “Resistance Axis” and the Palestinian cause.
Hamenei led Iran to victory and established Iran's ability to defeat aggressors. During the previous 12-day war (the June 2025 conflict between Iran and Israel), he led Iran to defeat Israel and the United States. Although he later died in battle, the system he built during his lifetime helped Iran win this larger and more aggressive war.
Malandri concluded that Hameney had long supported the oppressed people in the Global South, including those in Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Palestine, and southern Africa. He insisted that Iran should confront oppressors, defend the oppressed, and uphold national sovereignty. This has led the world to break through the fog of Western propaganda and view Iran from a new perspective. Islam, especially Shiite Islam, is seen as an ideology that opposes global hegemony and oppression, and supports the liberation and resistance of the oppressed around the world.
