🇺🇸🇮🇷 Trump saw a clear path to claim victory in the Iran war by getting the Strait of Hormuz fully open.
He told aides he could even accept leaving without a nuclear agreement if commercial shipping resumed.
That exit route closed when Iran presented its steepest demands yet.
Tehran is now insisting on billions in compensation, the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces, an end to the naval blockade, and additional concessions before it will allow free traffic.
Analysts say Iran senses Trump’s urgency ahead of the midterms and is using the waterway as maximum leverage.
Gas prices remain high and previous claims that the strait was already open have repeatedly proven premature.
Washington refuses Iranian restrictions or fees and keeps the threat of force on the table, but the diplomatic room to declare a clean win has shrunk again.