Iran Hardens Terms as Trump Leans on Economic Pressure
Iran toughened its stance on the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, with a senior security official insisting the waterway “is not going to return to its pre-war condition” and that there was “no military solution”. President Trump said the United States was “semi-negotiating” and would rely on economic pressure and its naval blockade rather than fresh strikes. The strait remained shut, and oil held around $84 a barrel.
The hardening on both sides pointed to a grinding stalemate rather than a breakthrough: Tehran wants an American climbdown before it reopens the chokepoint, while Washington bets that squeezing Iran’s economy will eventually force its hand. President Pezeshkian said he hoped the Oman-brokered channel could end the “neither war nor peace” limbo, a rare note of conciliation. But with Iran drafting laws to bar hostile shipping and attacks on tankers continuing, the risk of escalation persists. Markets, for now, are treating the standoff as contained. Watch whether the economic pressure yields a deal or the blockade drags on.