Wall Street Journal: In recent meetings, including a Monday discussion in the Situation Room, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran’s economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports. He assessed that his other options—resume bombing or walk away from the conflict—carried more risk than maintaining the blockade, officials said…
US spy agencies examine how Iran would react to Trump declaring victory
The intelligence community is analyzing the question along with others at the request of senior administration officials. The goal is to understand the implications of Trump potentially pulling back from a conflict that some officials and advisers worry could contribute to deep Republican losses at the midterm elections later this year, according to the sources…
Iran’s Guards seize wartime power, blunting Supreme Leader’s role
Mojtaba Khamenei remains at the apex of the system, but three people familiar with internal deliberations say his role is largely to legitimize decisions made by his generals rather than issue directives himself…
US Signals No Letup of Naval Blockade as it Aims to Squeeze Iran
US President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that Iran was in a “state of collapse.” His treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, later said Washington’s “maximum pressure campaign” had caused Iran’s inflation to accelerate and that the country was running out of oil storage. It would soon have to start cutting production, Bessent said…
Trump Says Germany’s Merz ‘Doesn’t Know What He’s Talking About’
“The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote in a Donald J. Trump: The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t Tuesday. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about! If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage.”…
Trump says Iran ‘better get smart soon’ as talks deadlock sends oil prices higher
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran “better get smart soon,” posting a mocked-up image of himself on his Truth Social platform holding a gun and referring to a “nonnuclear deal.” Mediators in Pakistan expect to receive a revised proposal from Iran in the next few days, sources say…