The United States has proactively softened its stance toward Iran! On August 26, the U.S. had just announced launching a "Economic Outcast Operation" against Iran. However, according to a senior source cited by Al Jazeera, the U.S. has now proposed canceling the new "Economic Outcast Operation," lifting all sanctions, and ending the U.S. blockade of Iran—provided Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz and halts all attacks carried out by its proxies. This proposal has been relayed through Pakistan as a new round of separate overtures.

Yet despite this U.S. initiative, Iran's conditions remain unchanged: namely, the U.S. must compensate $30 billion, completely lift all U.S. sanctions, release all frozen Iranian assets, end the U.S. Navy blockade, withdraw U.S. military forces from the entire region, and achieve comprehensive regional ceasefire including in Lebanon and Gaza. Clearly, according to insiders, the so-called unprecedented economic sanctions by the U.S. were nothing more than bluffing.

First, the U.S. imposes harsh sanctions; then, behind closed doors, it uses these very sanctions as leverage for negotiations with Iran. What does this indicate? It shows that the U.S. is still relying on its old tactic of maximum pressure. But from Iran’s response, it’s evident that Iran sees right through America’s game. In fact, after the U.S. imposed sanctions, two things became clear: first, no country publicly supported the U.S. sanctions; second, the actual intensity of the sanctions fell far short of being unprecedented.

Iran’s insistence on unchanging demands indicates that it clearly understands the real versus fake posture of the U.S. Now, the U.S. faces two options: either genuinely impose comprehensive sanctions on Iran and severely punish countries maintaining trade with Iran—while preparing itself for significant backlash; or find a way to retreat gracefully. But if the U.S. actually makes substantive concessions, it would instantly face domestic criticism accusing it of being "weak on Iran." In short, the U.S. is now in a bind.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874543079001220/

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