Iranian-American, GOP congressman show divide in views of Iran peace deal
OAK CREEK, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A reason for optimism or a reason to lose hope? Responses ran the entire spectrum Tuesday after President Donald Trump's announcement the U.S. has a peace agreement in the works with Iran, ending a war that lasted nearly four months.
GOP Congressman Bryan Steil was back in his district Tuesday, visiting an Oak Creek manufacturer. Steil was accompanied by Kelly Loeffler, the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
While the officials sought to discuss the positive effects of tax law changes as part of President Trump's sweeping budget bill last year, reporters asked them about the prospects of a peace deal that would leave the Iranian regime still in place.
Any assurances the Islamic Republic has made regarding nuclear weapons either haven't been put on paper or made available for lawmakers to see.
GOP Congressman Bryan Steil
"I think we remain optimistic. I look forward to reviewing the details of the peace agreement," Steil said. "That said, I remain optimistic that, in the end, Iran will not be funding terrorism, will not have a nuclear weapon."
One certainty from the conflict was it sent gas prices on a roller coaster ride. According to AAA, the average price of gas in Wisconsin is currently about $3.85 per gallon.
One month ago, the average gas price was 70 cents more expensive at $4.55 per gallon. At this time last year, the Wisconsin average was $2.93 per gallon.
At the Oak Creek event, Loeffler signaled a belief the ultimate outcome will justify the economic turbulence.
"We should not have a terrorist regime controlling the world's price of oil," she said. "President Trump is ending that."
Zara Fakhri sees it much differently. On March 1, she joined about two dozen other Iranians and Iranian-Americans to celebrate on Milwaukee's lakefront after the U.S. first launched strikes against Iran.
Fakhri said the regime remaining in place is a huge setback for Iranians seeking freedom in their home country.
Fakhri, who is a grad student at UW-Milwaukee studying business, said she believes the regime has now been emboldened, knowing how it can choke off the world's economy through the Strait of Hormuz and by launching strikes on oil infrastructure in neighboring countries like Kuwait.
She referenced what she's seen in recent days while watching Iranian state television.
"I'm also watching their own official channels. I know 90% of that is a lie, but I can see their perspectives in Persian," Fakhri said. "And what I'm seeing is they're mentioning, 'We're winners. We won over Israel. We won over USA.'"
When asked what the war accomplished, Steil said he believed one of big takeaways from the conflict is a renewed sense the U.S. needs to further emphasize the importance of developing its own energy.
"I think we have an opportunity to see a peaceful resolution," he said. "Positive news [Monday] that it looks like we're making great strides in that regard. The good news is the United States is energy independent. We produce more energy here in the United States than we consume."
Jim Davis, a professor emeritus at UW-Madison who's researched Iran, said the U.S. likely comes away from the conflict in a weaker position as it relates to the Iranian regime. He said the Trump administration spent billions only to see Iran gain leverage in the Strait of Hormuz.
"Iran has suffered tremendous physical damage, but that damage can be repaired over time," Davis wrote in an email. "On the other hand, [other key objectives] have not been achieved. If anything, the current Iranian leadership has shifted further in the direction of the hard-liners, and that will make future negotiations between the U.S. and Iran even more difficult."
Davis noted the next few weeks of negotiations will ultimately decide whether the U.S. has succeeded in deterring Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Fakhri spoke to CBS 58 virtually Tuesday while in Los Angeles, where she traveled to watch the Iranian national soccer team compete in the World Cup.
She said her feelings there were conflicted, a mix of wanting to display pride in her home country but also believing the team is a reflection of a government she'd hoped would have been overthrown in the war.
"I'm just losing my hope about the international community," she said. "I'm seeing again, once more, the Iranian people are all alone."