Iran’s Leaders Think They Have Trump Cornered

Iran’s leaders believe that sooner or later the United States will have to accede to their control over the Strait of Hormuz. That would mark a victory in the five-month war, as the critical waterway carries a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas in peacetime. But Iran’s strategy also carries major risks. A prolonged conflict could inflict further damage on Iran’s economy and infrastructure, potentially triggering another wave of internal unrest. In the meantime, the conflict over the strait makes it difficult to wind down the wider war, much less resume negotiations over Iran’s disputed nuclear program.