Washington's war, Tehran's waiting game
Washington's war, Tehran's waiting game newspress_en Thu, 08/13/2026 - 10:23 Politics On 9 August, Donald Trump sat for an interview with Axios and, in the space of a few sentences, reversed the tone of the previous week. “We're moving very quietly,” he said. Rather than ordering the sweeping new strikes he had threatened days earlier, the president said he preferred to let sanctions and the…
The ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran has shifted from open warfare to a strategic standoff, with both sides focusing on long-term gains. In a recent interview, Donald Trump expressed his preference for sanctions and naval blockades over further military action, stating that Iran's economic troubles were self-inflicted and that the ongoing tensions were akin to a game of chess.
The US has deployed over 20 warships to enforce a second naval blockade of Iran's ports, rerouting 55 commercial vessels and detaining two others to ensure compliance. Meanwhile, Iran has shown willingness to negotiate, agreeing on a transit map for the Strait of Hormuz, but insists that any reopening must be tied to the revival of the June memorandum, which includes sanctions relief and the lifting of the naval blockade.
This narrow focus on Hormuz, rather than pursuing a comprehensive nuclear agreement, reflects the cost-benefit analysis of the US, as gasoline prices and the strait's closure have impacted the upcoming midterm elections. The remaining challenge is financial: Iran demands the lifting of sanctions and compensation for war damages, which the US is unwilling to provide.
Despite some progress in talks between Iran and Oman regarding the transit of ships through Hormuz, trust remains an issue, with US Vice President JD Vance emphasizing the need for verifiable Iranian commitments.
Written by urgent.news from Al Majalla English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
