Trump to Axios: "We are low keying it" with Iran

Over the weekend, President Trump told Axios he's taking what he calls a 'low key' approach to Iran, stepping back from plans for military escalation and instead betting on economic pressure to convince the regime to negotiate. The strategy marks a significant shift from just a week ago, when he was reportedly close to ordering a return to major combat operations. Trump pointed to Iran's economic collapse — driven by U.S. sanctions and a naval blockade — noting the regime has no money to pay its troops. A deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane, had been negotiated but stalled this weekend when Iran issued new demands, adding requests for compensation and the lifting of all sanctions on top of the original agreement. Inside Iran's government, President Pezeshkian wants to reach a deal to avert economic disaster, while the commander of the Revolutionary Guard is rejecting any concessions. The question now is whether economic pressure can push Iran back to serious negotiations on the agreement.

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