Happy Memorial Day! May we be worthy of the sacrifice of the many men and women who died to preserve our freedoms, liberty, and way of life.
A cold war is a war nonetheless, and this cessation in military action with Iran doesn’t change the reality that this war is continuing. And like the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, each day it does not become clearer but actually more unclear as to what the future holds.
On Sunday night, Secretary Marco Rubio said, “Either we will have a good deal, or we will have to deal with it in another way.” He continued, saying, “we are going to give diplomacy every chance to succeed before we look at the alternatives.”
Despite his and the administration’s seeming commitment to a diplomatic solution, the Iranian announcements are not nearly so accepting. The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that an Iranian official said, “The challenge continues regarding several clauses, but even if an initial understanding is reached, it does not mean a change in Iran’s view of the U.S,. even if an understanding is reached, Iran will monitor U.S. actions during the process after the deal is announced, and if the U.S. breaks its promise, Iran will maintain its power to confront it.”
According to Al-Jazeera, Tehran has informed Pakistani mediators that it will not sign an agreement unless all clauses are finalized and approved by Iran, especially all of the desires they have repeatedly demanded. More disturbingly, Mohsen Rezaee, advisor to Khamenei, said: “In the event of an attack, we will produce a nuclear bomb! If the enemy attacks the Strait of Hormuz, we will shut down the maritime passage, and we may withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).”
Khamenei himself still has not been seen since his father was killed and he was wounded on February 28. CBS reported on Sunday that American intelligence officials claim that he is in hiding in a secret location with limited access to the outside world. The officials added that he can only be reached through a complicated network of couriers, which they explain is the reason for the long delay between when the U.S. submits proposals for an agreement with Iran and when a response is received.
Israel Channel i24 News reported on Sunday night that Israeli officials are accusing Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner of persuading President Donald Trump to pursue a deal with Iran instead of immediately approving further military action. The report said the discussion took place shortly before Trump was expected to give final approval for an attack, and that Witkoff and Kushner convinced the president not to activate the planned attacks on Iran right before they were scheduled to take place.
I wrote this article years ago about the importance of Memorial Day to all American Jews, and about the many Jewish veterans who laid down their lives for this nation, starting with the American Revolution.
I ended the article with a prayer that is even more needed now: “May the time not be distant when there will no longer be a need for any human being to participate in any Act of War, but rather a time of peace. For our children and for us. May the One who ordains peace in the heavens make peace on us and on all the world, and may we always say, Amen.”
Chazak u’Baruch
Rabbi Michael Barclay
May 25, 2026
Memorial Day
9th of Sivan, 5786
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