I have written much about the dangers of continuing the war with Iran. I have warned about the destruction of oil refineries, electrical plants, water systems, hospitals, shipping routes, and other infrastructure necessary to sustain human life. I have also warned that this war could spread famine, starvation, economic suffering, and death far beyond the borders of Iran.
It is not enough, however, merely to warn about what may happen. If I am asked what I believe should be done, then I should be prepared to offer a reasonable path toward peace.
I do not pretend to be a diplomat or military strategist. I am a country preacher who has lived long enough to know that hatred produces more hatred, violence produces more violence, and war nearly always costs more than its promoters promise.
Jesus said:
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
—Matthew 5:9, KJV
My recommendation is that President Trump, Israel, and Iran immediately step back from further escalation and begin negotiations through a trusted mediator such as Oman. No side will receive everything it wants. That is the nature of a negotiated peace. But every side can receive something it desperately needs.
Iran needs security and economic relief. Israel wants protection from an Iranian nuclear weapon and missile attacks. The United States wants attacks against its forces stopped and commercial shipping restored. The nations of the Persian Gulf want their refineries, oil fields, cities, and desalination plants protected. Above all, the innocent people of the region need an end to the killing.
Begin With an Immediate Ceasefire
The first step should be an immediate ceasefire lasting at least thirty days.
During that time, the United States, Israel, and Iran should stop all bombing, missile attacks, drone attacks, assassinations, attacks upon ships, and destructive cyberattacks. Iran should order the forces it controls and influences to stop attacking American, Israeli, Gulf, and commercial targets.
The United States and Israel should stop bombing Iran and Iranian-linked forces unless they are responding to a clear and immediate act of self-defense.
The killing should stop before every detail of the final agreement is completed. People should not continue dying while diplomats argue over the wording of documents.
The Bible says:
“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”
—Psalm 34:14, KJV
Peace must be pursued. It will not come through speeches alone. Someone must be willing to stop firing long enough for the other side to put down its weapon.
Protect the Infrastructure That Keeps People Alive
All parties should agree that certain facilities are completely off-limits.
These should include nuclear power plants, electrical generating stations, dams, water systems, hospitals, sewage-treatment plants, desalination facilities, oil refineries, civilian ports, and commercial shipping.
These are not simply buildings. They are the systems that keep millions of innocent people alive.
When electricity is destroyed, water pumps stop working. Hospitals lose power. Medicine spoils. Sewage systems fail. Food cannot be refrigerated. Fuel pumps cannot operate. Communications fail, and emergency services are crippled.
When refineries are destroyed, trucks stop moving. Farmers cannot operate machinery. Ambulances may not have fuel. Food and medicine cannot be transported.
An attack upon civilian infrastructure can kill people long after the bombers have returned safely to their bases. The elderly, the sick, children, and poor families will suffer first and longest.
We must stop speaking of destroying infrastructure as though it were nothing more than knocking down empty buildings. The lives of millions of people are connected to those facilities.
“The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.”
—Proverbs 29:7, KJV
Reopen the Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz must be reopened to safe commercial shipping.
Oman could supervise a temporary shipping corridor while a permanent agreement is negotiated. Iran should guarantee the safe passage of commercial vessels and stop attacks, seizures, and unauthorized charges against ships.
In return, the United States should reduce its blockade and promise that the shipping corridor will not be used as a cover for preparing another attack upon Iran.
International observers could monitor shipping and investigate violations. The Strait must not become the private weapon of Iran, the United States, or any other nation. It is too important to the entire world.
Approximately one-fifth of the world’s petroleum liquids has historically passed through this narrow waterway. If the Strait remains closed or dangerous, oil, diesel, fertilizer, transportation, food, and manufactured goods will become more expensive.
Wealthy nations will complain about inflation. Poor nations may experience famine.
A child living thousands of miles from Iran may never hear of the Strait of Hormuz, but that child could still go hungry because grain became too expensive to produce and transport.
Negotiate a Verifiable Nuclear Agreement
Iran should make a clear and binding commitment that it will not produce or acquire nuclear weapons.
Iran should be allowed a carefully limited civilian nuclear-energy program, but it must operate under strict international inspection. Iran should freeze enrichment at an agreed civilian level, remove or dilute material enriched beyond that level, declare all nuclear material and facilities, and permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to install cameras, seals, and continuous monitoring equipment.
Bombing nuclear facilities may damage buildings and equipment, but it cannot destroy scientific knowledge. Every bombing campaign may only convince Iran that it needs a nuclear weapon for protection.
Inspections provide more lasting security than explosions.
In return for verified nuclear compliance, the United States and Israel should promise not to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Operating nuclear power plants must never become military targets. A direct attack could release radioactive contamination throughout the region.
The purpose of the agreement must be to prevent a nuclear weapon without producing a nuclear disaster.
Lift Sanctions in Verifiable Stages
The United States should not lift every sanction merely because Iran signs a promise. At the same time, Iran cannot reasonably be expected to surrender all its leverage while receiving nothing in return.
Sanctions relief should occur in stages.
When the ceasefire begins, limited humanitarian and banking channels should reopen.
When the Strait of Hormuz is safely reopened, part of Iran’s frozen funds should be released.
When international inspectors verify Iranian nuclear compliance, restrictions upon Iranian oil exports should gradually be suspended.
When Iran remains in compliance for an agreed period, broader trade restrictions should be lifted.
If Iran violates the agreement, sanctions could return. But there must also be accountability for the United States. If Washington restores sanctions while Iran is still complying, Iran should have access to independent international arbitration.
An agreement cannot work if only one side is required to keep its word.
“A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”
—Proverbs 11:1, KJV
Offer Mutual Security Guarantees
The United States and Israel should agree that they will not invade Iran, seek to overthrow its government, assassinate its leaders, or attack its territory while Iran complies with the agreement.
In return, Iran should agree that it will not attack Israel, American military personnel, Gulf countries, or commercial shipping. It should stop supplying weapons intended for attacks covered by the ceasefire.
These promises must be mutual.
Iran will not surrender its defenses while believing another invasion or bombing campaign is being prepared. Israel will not accept promises that cannot be inspected and verified.
Neither side must learn to trust the other overnight. That may be impossible. The agreement should be built upon verification rather than blind trust.
As President Reagan once said concerning the Soviet Union, “Trust, but verify.” In this case, I would go even further: do not depend upon trust—verify everything.
Bring the Regional Nations to the Table
A lasting agreement cannot be negotiated by Washington and Tehran alone. Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and other affected countries should be included in a broader regional conference.
The conference should address missile and drone attacks, armed proxy groups, foreign military bases, shipping security, prisoners, reconstruction, environmental damage, and the protection of civilian infrastructure.
There should be a direct emergency telephone line between the military commands of the major nations. Many wars have grown out of misunderstanding, false reports, unauthorized actions, and the fear that an attack was about to begin.
A telephone call made in time could save thousands of lives.
The nations of the region should agree that nuclear power plants, dams, desalination facilities, hospitals, and major water systems will never be attacked. There must be some lines that civilized nations refuse to cross, even during war.
Establish a Reconstruction Fund
A peace agreement should include a carefully monitored reconstruction fund to repair homes, hospitals, water systems, electrical networks, ports, and other civilian facilities damaged by the war.
The money must be independently audited so it does not disappear into weapons programs, military organizations, or political corruption.
Assistance should be available to innocent Iranian, Israeli, Lebanese, Gulf, and other civilians harmed by the fighting. Suffering does not become less important because the victim lives on the other side of a border.
Every innocent life has value before God.
“Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?”
—Malachi 2:10, KJV
This Is Not a Defense of the Iranian Government
Let me make my position clear. I do not support the Iranian government. I do not excuse its repression, threats, attacks, or support for violent organizations.
Neither do I believe the United States or Israel should be given permission to destroy an entire nation because we oppose its government.
Condemning the actions of the Iranian government does not require us to call for the death of Iranian children. Criticizing the Israeli government is not hatred toward Jewish people. Opposing American bombing is not hatred toward America.
Wrong is still wrong regardless of which nation commits it.
The Christian must not change his moral standard according to the flag flying over the battlefield. We must judge every nation by the same standard of righteousness.
No Side Will Receive Everything
Iran cannot reasonably expect sanctions relief while closing international shipping lanes, attacking neighboring countries, and refusing meaningful nuclear inspections.
Israel cannot reasonably demand security for itself while reserving an unlimited right to bomb other countries whenever it chooses.
The United States cannot expect Iran to negotiate honestly while continuing to threaten the complete destruction of the country’s energy and civilian infrastructure.
Each side must surrender something.
Iran must surrender the pathway to a nuclear weapon, reopen Hormuz, permit inspections, and stop regional attacks.
The United States must stop bombing, abandon regime change, and lift sanctions in stages as Iran complies.
Israel must stop attacking Iran while the agreement is being honored.
The surrounding nations must stop allowing their territory to be used for attacks while claiming they are not involved in the war.
Nobody will be able to stand before the cameras and claim complete victory. That may be the best evidence that the settlement is fair.
President Trump Has an Opportunity
President Trump has an opportunity to choose the negotiating table over the target list.
Returning to negotiations is not weakness. Restraint is not surrender. Preventing the deaths of innocent people is not cowardice.
A strong leader is not merely one who knows how to begin a war. A truly strong leader knows when the cost has become unbearable and has the courage to make peace.
The Bible says:
“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”
—Proverbs 16:32, KJV
The reasonable bargain is straightforward: Iran gives up the pathway to a nuclear weapon, permits strict international inspections, reopens the Strait of Hormuz, and ends regional attacks. In return, the United States and Israel end the bombing, reject regime change, lift sanctions in verified stages, release frozen Iranian funds, and recognize Iran’s right to peaceful civilian development.
No side would receive everything it wants, but the innocent people would receive something far more valuable—the opportunity to live.
Choose Peace Before It Is Too Late
The alternative is continued bombing.
That road leads toward burning refineries, darkened hospitals, failed water systems, contaminated land, empty markets, displaced families, hungry children, dead soldiers, and graves without end.
War can be started by the decision of a few leaders, but its consequences fall upon millions of people who were never asked whether they wanted it.
It is time to stop.
Return to the table.
Reopen the Strait.
Restore inspections.
Protect civilian infrastructure.
Exchange sanctions relief for verified compliance.
Give every side a way to step back without humiliation.
The Bible tells us:
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
—Romans 12:18, KJV
Peace may be difficult, but continued war would be disastrous. We must choose the difficult work of negotiation before pride, anger, and retaliation bring famine, starvation, and death to innocent people around the world.
My prayer is that President Trump will reject the voices calling for greater destruction. My prayer is that Iran will abandon its threats and accept genuine inspections. My prayer is that Israel will accept verifiable security instead of endless war.
Most of all, my prayer is that the leaders involved will remember that they will one day answer to a higher authority than voters, generals, or governments.
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
—Matthew 5:9, KJV
Let us pray that peacemakers arise before the whole region is consumed.
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