President Donald Trump signaled a shift in approach toward Iran during a conversation with Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, indicating he sees no urgency to pursue either a diplomatic agreement or military confrontation with Tehran. Instead, the American leader is wagering that Iran's deteriorating economy will ultimately force the regime to back down, according to Ravid's report.
"We're lowering the profile on the Iran issue, we're just watching what's happening there and negotiating with them in a very limited way. Iran's economic situation is very bad," Trump told Ravid.
The president added: "It will work out, it's like a game of chess with the Iranians, it always works out in the end." The comments mark a notable change in tone from just a week earlier, when Trump warned he was prepared to launch "the biggest attack since World War II."
Notably, in an interview he gave this afternoon, the president refrained from threatening Iran despite recent attacks on shipping vessels in the Strait.
Senior American officials say Trump has decided to let economic pressure do the work. According to these officials, while the United States can balance fuel prices domestically, the Iranians will be forced to bear the economic cost of ongoing sanctions that prevent them from exporting Iranian oil, dealing a severe blow to Tehran's economy.
