Trump faces three paths ahead in Iran war as Hormuz standoff intensifies
As the Hormuz standoff threatens a global economic chill, Trump must choose between military escalation, seeking a partial deal with Iran, or waiting out the pressure campaign.
This is an excerpt from AL-MONITOR Security, a weekly newsletter covering defense and conflict developments in the Middle East. To get AL-MONITOR Security in your inbox, sign up here.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump publicly dismissed further attempts at negotiation with Iran on Sunday, citing “tremendous infighting and confusion” within the Islamic Republic’s leadership for why his administration would no longer be sending envoys to Islamabad.
Instead, the White House is doubling down on the US Navy’s blockade of Iran while weighing further military strikes in hopes of moving the needle towards concessions from Tehran.
The US blockade “is 100% foolproof,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday. “I mean militarily, we've wiped them out. They have no military left,” he said.
