The US government is currently applying the classic “pressure to negotiate” strategy toward Iran. On one hand, Trump recently told senior advisers that as long as Iran and its support for Houthi forces refrain from new provocations against the US, he may postpone a military strike against Iran. Reports indicate that Trump has wavered between escalating the war and gradually ending hostilities. After hearing a national security meeting and intelligence briefings, he currently leans toward postponing a strike and agrees with Middle Eastern allies’ position of avoiding a full-scale war. Intelligence assessments also believe that continuing military strikes would not significantly change Iran’s demands in negotiations. On the other hand, US military pressure has not stopped. Although Trump is considering holding off on strikes, the US military remains ready to expand operations if necessary. Reports say a third aircraft carrier will enter the Middle East in the coming days and may even remain in the region alongside the carriers already there. At the same time, Trump is still keeping open the option of striking Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. The United States is betting on both sides: deterrence through aircraft carriers and strikes, as well as conditional restraint, hoping to force Iran to make concessions at the negotiating table through maximum pressure.

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