President Donald Trump is signalling a preference for sustained economic pressure over immediate military escalation against Iran, betting that the country's crumbling economy will force concessions without further US strikes. Speaking to Axios in a phone interview, Trump said the US was "only semi-negotiating" with Tehran, pointing to Iran's soaring inflation and depleted finances as reasons to hold back for now. The approach matters because it signals how Washington plans to manage tensions in the Gulf, including over the Strait of Hormuz, at a time when Iran's leadership is under mounting domestic strain.

Trump described the US strategy as "low-keying it", with Axios reporting on 9 August that Iran is grappling with severe economic difficulties. Iran's president has blamed foreign pressure for the country's woes, while analysts cited in related coverage warn the regime's economy is nearing a breaking point. A former US detainee held in Iran, Morad Tahbaz, separately said sanctions have pushed Iranian trade into opaque channels that enrich regime power brokers while harming ordinary citizens.