Six months into the conflict that began on 28 February 2026 — following airstrikes that killed Iran's supreme leader — Washington has pursued a multi-pronged approach combining diplomacy, economic pressure, and military action. The administration has characterised the approach as a step-by-step sequence of actions. Two rounds of diplomatic talks have ended without agreement, and the maritime blockade has been formally adopted as an ongoing measure.
US military aircraft conducted strikes on Iranian soil as recently as May, while Iran has not permitted any tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz on terms set by Washington. Tehran's posture toward Washington is shaped by decades of accumulated grievance, stretching back to the events of 1953.
In that year, CIA officer Kermit Roosevelt Jr., a grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, coordinated a covert operation to remove Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh from power following Mossadegh's decision to place the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company under state control. According to available accounts, Roosevelt's operatives channelled intelligence agency funding toward organising public demonstrations, paying off newspaper editors, and manufacturing the impression of a grassroots uprising. Mossadegh abandoned his home and turned himself in the following day.
Eisenhower conveyed approval of the results and asked to be briefed privately on the operation, while refraining from any public statement about the role played by the United States. The reinstated Shah was reported to have given Roosevelt direct credit for his return, while the fall of the monarchy in 1979 meant that the events of 1953 left a discernible imprint on how the revolution took shape. Iran's governing authorities regard that historical record as foundational to their interpretation of Washington's foreign policy intentions.
Historical records indicate that Khomeini viewed the 1979 Iranian revolution as a blueprint for wider political change throughout the region. He contended that the revolutionary ideology should extend across national boundaries, given that the faith tradition draws no distinction between Muslim-majority nations and positions itself as a defender of the downtrodden worldwide. The doctrine gave rise to an interconnected web of armed groups across Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Gaza.
This dynamic also shaped a domestic political culture oriented around perseverance, a framework Iranian authorities have described as the "resistance economy," a concept that continues to inform current IRGC communications. Armed forces representatives have argued that the imposed limitations place the nation in a position of strategic paralysis.
A provisional accord endorsed in June gave both sides a 60-day window to reach a final deal covering Iran's nuclear activities and the lifting of sanctions. The ceasefire attempt was the second effort at halting hostilities between the two sides; a previous arrangement, negotiated in April under pressure from Trump, had unravelled within weeks due to disagreements over navigation rights through the Strait of Hormuz.
The agreement from June did not produce a lasting resolution. Iran commenced actions against ships that had not followed its designated route, drawing a stronger reaction from the United States. By 17 August, the deadline had passed without an agreement, no extension had been granted, and Trump had indicated he would not pursue further talks.
Diplomatic channels through Oman and Qatar remain active. No publicly visible progress has resulted from any of them.
Financial leverage has grown into a cornerstone of the approach taken by the United States. Trump outlined a broad economic pressure campaign targeting Iran, with countries that assist Tehran in circumventing sanctions set to face financial consequences. Scott Bessent outlined a package of sanctions against Iran that go beyond any previously imposed measures.
Cargo movement across the region has been disrupted by the maritime blockade. Vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz have fallen to roughly one-fifth of pre-conflict levels, based on maritime monitoring data from the United Kingdom. Fuel costs for drivers rose by close to one dollar per gallon over the past year.
Armed engagements have taken place on numerous occasions throughout the course of the fighting. On the opening day of hostilities, coordinated air operations attributed to Israel and the United States killed Iran's top leader along with a number of senior military figures. In May, airstrikes were carried out against Iranian military installations, following attacks by Iranian forces on American naval vessels during the blockade. Ballistic missiles and drones have been launched by Iran toward neighbouring countries where American military installations are located.
At a rally in New York, Trump floated the idea of claiming the Strait of Hormuz as United States territory.
The dispute has developed across several fronts simultaneously. The approach has combined diplomacy, trade restrictions, and armed force. Iran has maintained its stance on vessel transit through the Strait of Hormuz, declining to align with the terms put forward by the United States. As of the deadline's passage, neither side had publicly indicated a change in its fundamental position.
