Negotiating With Missiles
June 29, 2026
Vol. 15, No. 2312
THE WAR ROOM: After several days exchanging fire with the US, it seems evident that Iran is intent upon maintaining military and economic control of the Strait of Hormuz. With a considerably diminished military, control of the strait is Iran’s primary tool of leverage in negotiations.
The Institute for the Study of War says Iranian attacks on Bahrain, for instance, may be an effort to pressure Gulf states to accept Iranian control of the strait.
But this morning the Trump administration says the two sides agreed to stop mutual attacks, allowing shipping to pass freely through the strait. Iran has not confirmed that.
Erika Solomon writes in The NY Times that: “The Iranians are seeking relief from years of punishing sanctions if the two sides move forward on a nuclear deal. Such an agreement would most likely entail Iran handing over or diluting its stockpile of highly enriched uranium — material that could have been used to construct a nuclear weapon.”
While the official position of the Trump administration is that talks with Iran will continue, the President posted on his Truth Social: “There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”