President Trump has directed aides to prepare for a prolonged blockade of Iran, choosing economic pressure over resuming airstrikes or withdrawing from the conflict entirely.
President Trump is doubling down on his Iran strategy, instructing aides to prepare for an extended blockade of the country’s ports as he seeks to force a nuclear capitulation from Tehran.
According to U.S. officials, Trump made the decision during recent meetings, including a Monday Situation Room discussion. He assessed that his other options — resume bombing or walk away from the conflict — “carried more risk than maintaining the blockade.”
The goal is to strangle Iran’s oil revenues and compel a deal the regime has historically refused. However, analysts note the strategy carries its own dangers, with no clear or swift path to victory — a significant tension for a president who, by all accounts, prefers decisive outcomes.