The nuclear standoff between the US and Iran enters the Cold War phase – is there a bigger war coming? –

The Iran war, which began as Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury, has now entered a Cold War-like phase marked by financial sanctions, gunboat interceptions, and ongoing talks about talks, Axios reports.Trump still seems far from satisfied with Iran’s uninterrupted and unconstrained nuclear capabilities.The situation has settled into a tense stalemate with no clear end in sight. It now appears that high energy prices are likely to continue for several months, while the risk of sudden escalation into a hot war still looms over the region.

Several US officials told Axios that they are increasingly concerned about the United States being drawn into a frozen conflict that has neither war nor diplomatic breakthrough.In this scenario, US forces will remain deployed in the region for several months to come. The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed, the American blockade will continue, and both sides will remain locked in a waiting game, as each side watches the other or will strike first.A source close to the president said that with the November midterm elections only six months away, “the frozen conflict is the worst thing for Trump politically and economically.”

President Trump is reportedly wavering between authorizing new military strikes and relying on a “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign to push Iran toward negotiations on its nuclear program, according to five advisers familiar with his thinking.“everyone [Iran’s leaders] “What we understand is bombs,” Trump recently told an adviser, who relayed the comment to Axios.“I describe it as frustrating but realistic,” the advisor said.

“He does not want to use force. But he is not backing down,” he added.Within the administration, divisions emerged over strategy. Some senior advisers are pushing to maintain the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz while intensifying economic pressures before considering further military action.“The level of sanctions on Iran is extraordinary, the pressure on Iran is extraordinary, and I think more can be done,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also Trump’s national security adviser, said in a Fox News interview that aired Monday.“I hope the rest of the world will join us in the stifling sanctions and other things we’re doing to pressure this regime to make concessions it doesn’t want to make,” Rubio said.Outside the administration, hard-line voices are urging a more forceful approach. Washington Post columnist Mark Thiessen, retired Army Gen. Jack Keane, and Sen. Lindsey Graham are among those who have advised Trump to consider military action to break the stalemate.“Mr. President, stick to your guns for the good of the nation and the world. The Iranian regime and its behavior are the problem, not you,” Graham wrote on Monday on X, calling on Trump to reject the latest Iranian proposal.Trump recently discussed an Iranian proposal with his national security team on Monday. Iran has offered to negotiate a side deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade on ships arriving and departing from Iran.A US official and two other sources familiar with the meeting said that no decisions had been made. One source said that Trump did not seem inclined to accept Iran’s proposal because it would delay talks on the country’s nuclear program, eliminating which remains his main goal.White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said Monday that “the president’s red lines regarding Iran have become very clear, not only to the American people, but to them as well.”Trump imposed the blockade after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz and began imposing tariffs on tankers transporting oil from the Persian Gulf, a route responsible for about 20% of global crude oil supplies.Since then, the US military has been forcing Iranian-flagged ships carrying oil to return, although some have sneaked out. The United States also seized tankers carrying Iranian crude and what it describes as “contraband” that could support military use.Trump stressed that the blockade will not be lifted unless Iran agrees to a broader agreement that addresses its nuclear program.Treasury Secretary Scott Besent has expanded his “maximum pressure” campaign, targeting financial institutions, shipping companies, and even Chinese refineries that process sanctioned Iranian oil.“This is maximum pressure everywhere and from all angles,” a senior administration official said.

He added, “This may also mean military action. It may not be the case. It is up to the president.”Trump administration officials and its allies believe that sanctions could ultimately cripple Iran’s ability to store and export oil, which would lead to significant economic pressure. However, critics say this strategy may fail to secure concessions, and could instead prolong the conflict without resolution.