This weekend’s negotiations were the highest level talks between the United States and Iran in decades, happening over nearly a full day with constant back and forth and direct involvement from the top of both governments. Even with all of that effort, all of that promise and potential, the deal still fell apart over one core issue: Iran refusing to give up its nuclear material.
From there, it feels like the strategy shifts almost immediately into something more economic than military. Instead of escalating strikes, the United States is moving to choke off Iran’s ability to make money, especially through the Strait of Hormuz. The idea seems to be that if Iran cannot generate revenue, then internal pressure builds fast enough to force them back to the table. It is a different kind of escalation, one that relies less on bombs and more on financial isolation.
