Trump Turns to Economic Pressure in Bid to End Iran War

President Trump has shifted his strategy for ending the war with Iran from military action to economic pressure. This pivot comes as U.S. stockpiles of key weapons have dwindled and talks between the two countries have stalled.

The administration is now hoping that months of bombing will push Iran's economy to a breaking point, forcing its leadership to cave to demands to end its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers.

Trump has said that since Iran is seeking compensation as part of any peace talks, he now intends to demand the same for the U.S. side. He claims that Iran's economy is on the cusp of financially collapsing, despite already enduring decades of financial sanctions.

Economic pressure, however, may not be as effective as Trump hopes. Richard Nephew, a senior research scholar at Columbia University who helped direct Iran sanctions strategy in the Obama administration, said that the value of sanctions is limited because Trump has not articulated clear strategic goals for the war.