Iran shifts to higher-risk strategy as Trump bears down on pressure campaign
After exercising "strategic patience" for a year, Iran has shifted its strategy to one of calibrated escalation on the nuclear, regional and diplomatic fronts to try to secure economic relief, deter US adventurism and better position itself for possible future talks.
WASHINGTON — If the United States expected that a year or so of crippling economic sanctions on Iran following Donald Trump’s exit from the nuclear deal might bring the Iranians to the table ready to yield to the long list of US grievances with the Islamic Republic, Iran has flipped the script, newly shifting its strategy from one of relative restraint to one where the United States and other powers increasingly seem to be responding to Iranian actions.
After a year in which Iran responded with “strategic patience” to the US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and its maximum pressure campaign, Iran has in the past month changed course, ramping up actions on the nuclear, regional and diplomatic fronts, to try to secure greater economic relief, deter the United States and — left unsaid — better position itself for possible future talks.
The United States' “maximum pressure policy breeds tensions,” Iranian Ambassador to the UN Majid Takht Ravanchi said after a stake-out at the UN Security Council June 26. “Maximum pressure is inviting violence and tension in our region.”
Ravanchi did not outright reject future dialogue with the United States, but expressed skepticism that the current atmosphere was conducive to achieve a substantive agreement.
