US officials say sanctions can hurt Iran more than airstrikes

U.S. officials believe that tightening economic sanctions on Iran could inflict greater damage on the country than direct airstrikes, according to a report published this week. The report asserts that Iran is facing a deep economic crisis, pushing access to frozen assets and financial relief to the top of Tehran’s agenda. A senior U.S. official is quoted as saying that Iranian leaders “want the bombing to stop, and they want money,” adding that, in practice, securing cash appears to be their primary goal before any broader de-escalation of tensions.
The report notes that U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Iran requested talks on a potential agreement after 13 days of attacks, once Washington held back from further military action late last week. Iranian officials have publicly denied making such an approach. At the same time, mediators from Oman, Qatar and Pakistan are said to be working to turn the current sanctions pressure into a pathway toward a lasting ceasefire. One proposal under discussion would give Iran and Oman a role in managing shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, modeled partly on frameworks used for the Strait of Malacca and waters around Singapore.
According to the report, Iran is seeking guarantees against future U.S. strikes, relief from sanctions and access to its frozen assets. The Trump administration, however, is described as opposing any move that would “reward” Tehran, insisting instead that Iran must surrender its remaining stockpile of nuclear material before major concessions are considered. Other U.S. officials warn that a strategy based on sanctions and naval interdiction would likely take longer than airstrikes to exert decisive pressure on Iran and could raise domestic political risks by driving up global oil prices and increasing fears of a wider regional conflict.
Citing classified assessments, one official claims Iranian authorities are complaining they cannot pay their soldiers and that fuel shortages are being felt even in the oil-rich country. Despite these economic strains, analysts estimate that Iran earned tens of billions of dollars in oil revenue in the first half of the year, leading some critics to argue that economic warfare has so far failed to force Tehran to accept Trump’s demands.