Trump shifts to long-term pressure campaign as Iran war drags on
Why it matters: Stalled Qatar-mediated talks and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are deepening the economic hit across Gulf states.
The Trump administration is moving toward a wait-and-pressure approach on Iran, backing away from urgency around a nuclear agreement as the war enters its ninth month. President Donald Trump wrote Thursday that the United States does not need a deal because it controls billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds, while also calling a new attack on Iran unlikely for now. The shift comes as Qatar continues to mediate deadlocked talks and after political setbacks for Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. NPR reported the U.S. is helping escort oil tankers along a route near Oman, while Iran keeps enforcing new transit rules in the Strait of Hormuz. The International Monetary Fund says the war has pushed several Gulf economies into recession.