Keep pulling the thread on Suzanne Maloney.
The United States is maintaining a blockade on Iran to prevent the country from exporting oil and earning revenue.
A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is predicted to have catastrophic implications for global oil prices and the wider economy.
The Iranian regime is currently driven by hardliners who are not inclined to compromise or reconcile with the United States or Israel.
The Iranian regime believes it has the upper hand in its conflict with the United States and that time is on its side.
The Iranian regime has staked its existence on maintaining a nuclear infrastructure.
Iran has suffered trillions of dollars in economic damage from sanctions and lost opportunities due to its determination to maintain its nuclear program.
The United States, under President Trump, withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.
Iran is expected to continue using its control over the Strait of Hormuz as leverage even after the current conflict ends.
Credible organizations have documented 7,000 deaths of protestors killed by the Iranian regime, with the actual number estimated to be at least two to three times higher.
Revenue from oil production is the primary source of financial support for the Iranian regime and the country as a whole.
The "America First" foreign policy under President Trump has evolved to be highly militaristic, prioritizing force to assert American interests.
The "America First" foreign policy under President Trump is disinterested in the traditional reliance on allies and partners.