U.S. prepares for prolonged Iran conflict, Trump envoy tells FT

The United States is gearing up for a potentially drawn-out conflict with Iran, according to Mike Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Despite hopes that military strikes and economic sanctions would compel Tehran to make significant concessions, Waltz told the Financial Times that Washington might still be in a stalemate a year from now, without a deal on Iran's nuclear program or a return to prewar shipping levels through the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. Navy could maintain its blockade of Iranian ports indefinitely, while the administration intensifies economic pressure on Tehran. This warning follows renewed threats of a possible fresh offensive by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the November 3 U.S. midterm elections. The conflict, initially anticipated to last four to five weeks, is now in its ninth month, causing disruptions in energy exports, higher fuel prices, and shortages of fertilizers and other commodities.

Waltz emphasized that achieving Washington's strategic objectives would require addressing Iran's highly enriched nuclear material and reaching a meaningful agreement on domestic uranium enrichment.