The Futility of Economic Coercion: A Familiar Playbook in Tehran The Trump administration's decision to shift its focus from military might to economic pressure in its dealings with Iran is a telling admission of the limitations of hard power in achieving strategic objectives.
This move follows past failures, including the 2019 "maximum pressure" campaign that promised to bring Tehran to heel through economic ruin.
That effort only galvanized domestic opposition and strengthened the regime's resolve, leaving little doubt that Washington has learned little from its mistakes.