We are low keying it: Trump pivots to economic pressure on Iran, not new strikes
US President Donald Trump appears to be backing away from another major military offensive against Iran. Washington may increase economic pressure as Tehran continues to
US President Donald Trump appears to be backing away from another major military offensive against Iran. Washington may increase economic pressure as Tehran continues to resist demands over the Strait of Hormuz. In a brief phone interview with Axios on Sunday, Trump struck a notably restrained tone after weeks of threatening a major escalation against Iran. Rather than issuing fresh military warnings, he said his administration was taking a lower-key approach while watching Iran's worsening economic situation. Read Full Story "We are low keying it. We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money," Trump said. According to him, Iran "is in very bad shape" economically and lacks the money to pay its troops. The US naval blockade has further intensified the pressure on Tehran's economy, he said. The President has repeatedly said that he was persuaded to hold off on another large-scale military campaign by his Gulf allies and instead allow economic and diplomatic pressure to build. TRUMP LOOKS TO ECONOMIC PRESSURE The change in tone was also evident in Trump's response to Tehran's delay in finalising an agreement with Oman on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran announced additional conditions on Saturday for allowing shipping through the strategic waterway, but the latest US response has been notably restrained. Rather than issuing fresh military threats, Trump has appeared willing to let the economic pressure play out. His calculation is also shaped by the fact that oil prices have remained relatively manageable for American consumers. With crude trading at slightly more than $75 a barrel, the immediate economic fallout of the conflict has been less painful for US consumers than it could have been. That gives Washington greater room to maintain pressure on Tehran without rushing into another major military escalation. "It will work out. It always works out. It's like a chess game," Trump said. HORMUZ DEAL HITS ROADBLOCK An agreement involving Iran, Oman and the United States has reportedly been negotiated to govern traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. However, the arrangement has yet to be formally announced. Under the proposed framework, Iran would receive partial control over traffic through the waterway -- a concession it did not have before the war. Qatari and Pakistani mediators had earlier expected the agreement to be announced, but those expectations have since faded as disagreements have emerged over Tehran’s demands.
The BriefWire