Trump signals shift to economic pressure on Iran over new military strikes
The US is relying on sanctions and a naval blockade, as oil prices stabilise, easing economic strain on American consumers. United States President Donald Trump
The US is relying on sanctions and a naval blockade, as oil prices stabilise, easing economic strain on American consumers. United States President Donald Trump has said Washington is relying on economic pressure rather than new military strikes to push Iran towards making a deal. âWe are low-keying it,â Trump said in an Axios interview on Sunday, pointing to a more cautious approach after months of conflict and adding that Washington is âonly semi-negotiatingâ with Tehran while monitoring the toll the war has taken on Iranâs economy.
He said Iran is in âvery bad shapeâ financially, citing high inflation and difficulty paying its own troops, and credited a US naval blockade in place since April with deepening that pressure. Trump also said falling oil prices, now just above $75 a barrel, have eased the economic impact on American consumers. âIt will work out. It always works out. Itâs like a chess game,â he said. Trumpâs remarks come as talks mediated by Oman over reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping appear close to a breakthrough.
Iranâs foreign ministry said this month that the talks had reached their âfinalâ stages, with both sides nearing an agreement on coordinates for a new shipping route through the strait. Tehran has stressed it would not fully reopen the waterway until the US âcorrects its behaviourâ, which includes demands to lift the naval blockade, halt military actions and pay war damages. A ceasefire reached in June collapsed weeks later over disputes about control of the strait, and fighting resumed.
Since then, Iran has continued intermittent strikes on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, while Yemenâs Houthis, who are aligned with Tehran, declared a separate naval blockade against Saudi Arabia last month. Recent reporting has suggested friction between Washington and Israel over the pace of US efforts to wind down fighting on multiple fronts, including in Gaza and Lebanon.
The BriefWire