Tensions between the United States and Iran have entered an unstable holding pattern, with fresh American strikes on Iranian missile sites and patrol boats near the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran reportedly shooting down a US drone, fuelling renewed uncertainty across the region.
In this episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana and Lindsey Hilsum examine the latest escalation, from President Trump’s shifting negotiating tactics to his revived Abraham Accords pitch, and what this strategic brinkmanship means for Iran’s leverage, Lebanon’s fragility, and the wider Middle East.
Anushka also speaks to Dina Esfandiary, Middle East lead at Bloomberg Economics, about why Tehran may be less hungry for a diplomatic breakthrough than Washington hopes, and the deep structural obstacles that still stand in the way of progress.