Washington, August 13, 2026 - US President Donald Trump has signalled a shift in strategy toward Iran, opting to “low-key” the conflict and allow economic pressure to mount rather than pursue new military strikes or immediate diplomacy.
Speaking to Axios in a brief phone interview on Sunday, Trump said: “We are low-keying it. We are only semi-negotiating with them; we are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money.”
The remarks, made amid ongoing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, mark a departure from Trump’s earlier hardline threats of renewed bombing campaigns. He has instead emphasised the devastating impact of the US naval blockade on Iranian shipping and the regime’s economic collapse.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps lacks funds to pay troops, Trump claimed, while inflation has surged beyond 300 per cent. He credited the blockade with exacerbating the crisis, noting that the Islamic regime is “in very bad shape” financially.
At the same time, Trump pointed to easing consumer pain in the US: oil prices, which spiked above $100 a barrel after Iran disrupted the strait, have since fallen to around $75, he said.
The president likened the approach to “a chess game,” insisting the strategy will eventually work. He has kept military options on the table but has not renewed direct threats.
Iran has responded by laying out a sweeping list of demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including lifting sanctions, paying reparations, ending hostilities with allied groups, and releasing frozen assets. Tehran is also exchanging messages through intermediaries, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi describing the situation as “very close” to a deal with Oman but citing repeated violations of a June interim agreement.
The comments come as the US administration weighs tightening sanctions further, with advisors reportedly reviewing new measures against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Trump’s subdued tone reflects a calculated gamble: that sustained economic strangulation will force Tehran to the negotiating table without the political cost of fresh military escalation.