Washington appears focused on sustained military and economic pressure rather than nuclear escalation, with China increasingly central to U.S. efforts to isolate Tehran.

Six months into a war that began on 28 February 2026, with strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Washington has stopped choosing between diplomacy, economic siege, and…

Washington appears focused on sustained military and economic pressure rather than nuclear escalation, with China increasingly central to U.S. efforts to isolate Tehran.