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August 24, 2026

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Analysis

UAE-Iran trade relationship becomes key test of Trump’s wartime strategy

The Gulf state suspended trade with Iran after new attacks in August. Experts point to risks for both sides as the Trump administration seeks to squeeze Tehran economically.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Hamed Malekpour / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Iran gambles it can outlast Trump’s 'Economic D-Day'

The Trump administration is considering tighter economic pressure as diplomacy with Tehran appears stalled.

People shop at a store in the Grand Reza Bazaar near the shrine of Imam Reza following the funeral of slain Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and his family members in Mashhad on July 10, 2026.

Analysis

Can Trump's economic war ultimately force Iran to compromise?

President Trump's new economic offensive comes as Iran is grappling with war damage, tighter oil restrictions and a shrinking ability to absorb another major shock.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Latest News

Caught in the middle, Oman shrugs off Trump's latest Iran threat

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Houthis claim new strikes on Saudi Arabia after IRGC warning: What to know

MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images)

China slams Trump over economic war on Iran: What to know

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian holds a press conference on Aug. 19, 2026.

Trump’s Iran ‘economic D-Day’ threat sends oil prices above $94

Iranians drive past an anti-US billboard at Enghelab Square in central Tehran, Aug. 3, 2026.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Benjamin Houghton

In Durham, reporting on China in the Middle East

Rahim Rahimov

In Baku, reporting on Middle East-Caucasus ties

Mehrnaz Samimi

In Washington, DC, reporting on Iranian culture

United States President Barack Obama addresses the 68th United Nations General Assembly in New York, September 24, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Burton/Pool (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX13XRI

Obama Reference to Fatwa Makes Iran Hard-Liners Take Note

President Barack Obama’s reference to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s prohibition on nuclear weapons gives Iranian skeptics pause.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses the 68th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, September 24, 2013. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX13YDW

Obama, Rouhani Stress Diplomacy But Do Not Meet

The presidents of the US and Iran suggest they can resolve their differences peacefully in dueling speeches at the UN General Assembly.

Rouhani Puts US to the Test

Presidents Barack Obama and Hassan Rouhani may have limited time to solve the nuclear crisis and reduce sanctions against Iran.

Iranian presidential candidate Hassan Rohani (L) waves to supporters in the central Iranian city of Shiraz June 11, 2013. Picture taken June 11, 2013. REUTERS/Fars News/Mohammad Hadi Khosravi (IRAN - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - RTX10L22

Iran To Be Included by US In Middle East Affairs

The United States and its allies need to adapt their foreign policy strategies in the Middle East to include President Hassan Rouhani's Iran.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (2nd L) shakes hands with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani (L) during a meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, September 13, 2013. Rouhani said on Friday that he wanted a swift resolution to a dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme, which Western states fear is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. REUTERS/Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin (KYRGYZSTAN - Tags: POLITICS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD

Rouhani Heads to New York, Offers Help On Syria Talks

Al-Monitor’s analysis and coverage of what to expect at the UN General Assembly this week.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem September 17, 2013. Netanyahu will meet U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on September 30, an Israeli official said on Tuesday, for talks expected to focus on Iran's nuclear programme. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX13O88

Israel's Dismissal of Iran A Lost Opportunity

It's arrogant for Israel to dismiss Rouhani's overtures and refuse to consider the possibility of a new era in Iran.

The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise transits the Suez Canal in Egypt in this February 15, 2011 handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy. The United States is moving warships and aircraft, including the USS Enterprise, into the Mediterranean Sea near Libya, according to U.S. officials. REUTERS/U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jesse L. Gonzalez/Handout (EGYPT - Tags: MILITARY POLITICS) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A T

US Should Reform, Not End Military Aid to Egypt

Egypt’s democratic transition is served by a new approach to US military assistance.

Iranian-Jewish minority Member of Parliament, Siamak Meresedgh, poses for a photograph in front of a banner for the 2012 parliamentary elections, after he registered as a candidate at the Interior Ministry building in Tehran December 25, 2011. Candidates began registering on Saturday for Iran's parliamentary elections in March, the first litmus test of the clerical establishment's popularity since the 2009 disputed presidential vote. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl (IRAN - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR2VMNV

Rouhani Enlists Iran Jewish MP Against Hard-Liners

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani looks to put behind the charges of Holocaust denial by his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Kurdish Parties Build Alliance To Curb Barzani’s Power in Syria

On the eve of elections in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, the Kurdish question in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria becomes even more entangled.

Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims take part in a ceremony to mark the religious ritual of Arbain in Kerbala, about 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, January 2, 2013. REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3C22O

Iraqi Religious Tourism Declines Because of Weak Iranian Economy

As the sanctions on Iran have reduced the number of Iranian tourists visiting Iraq, Baghdad should remedy the situation by diversifying its tourism sector.

Israeli Minister Lapid Hears 'New Music' in Iran

In a recent CNN interview, Israeli Minister Yair Lapid seems to distance himself somewhat from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Iran.

Will Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Reduce Economic Role?

President Hassan Rouhani is carefully asking Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps to cut back on its economic projects.