Retired Four-Star General Jack Keane issued a stern warning on Fox News today, April 9, 2026, cautioning that the current ceasefire deal with Iran may be a strategic blunder that strips the U.S. of its military leverage.
Appearing on ‘The Story’ with Martha MacCallum, the Fox News senior strategic analyst argued that Iran is using the two-week pause in combat to play for time, much like the tactics used by Vladimir Putin. Keane believes the Iranian regime is desperate to stop the war so they can allow oil prices to recover and take the political pressure off their leadership.
"The Iranians are going to want to delay and extend the negotiations," Keane warned. "They want to convince our negotiators that they are close to a deal just to get the ceasefire extended another week or two."
Keane argued that by agreeing to the ceasefire, the U.S. has temporarily given up its primary leverage: active military operations. However, he noted that President Trump still holds an "ace in the hole" with Kharg Island. Since 90% of Iran’s oil distribution flows through that single hub, Keane suggested the U.S. should threaten to destroy it entirely unless Iran hands over its entire nuclear enterprise—including all enriched uranium and centrifuges.
The interview also touched on the controversial new "tolls" Iran is charging ships in the Strait of Hormuz. While reports suggest these tolls could yield Iran up to $100 billion per year, Keane was adamant that the practice is a violation of international law.
_"This is an international transit waterway," _Keane said. "You are prohibited from doing just that, and we should force the Iranians to knock that off."
The General’s skepticism comes at a critical time, as the April 6 deadline for a permanent peace deal has already passed into this new two-week "negotiation window."
While Keane expressed faith that President Trump "is not going to make a bad deal," he warned that the IRGC leaders currently in charge are hard-liners who will use lies and deception to survive the current economic collapse.
Transparency notes
Published: Apr 9, 2026. Last updated: Apr 9, 2026.
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