Trump’s Fears About Economy Undercut US Leverage in Iran Talks

President Donald Trump said the prospect of global economic collapse was a big reason he signed an interim peace deal with Iran. That admission exposes a key US weakness heading into the next round of talks with Tehran.

The memorandum of understanding that Trump signed on Wednesday reopened the Strait of Hormuz and set in motion waivers for sanctions on Iran’s oil sales to the international market. The effect was immediate: The price of oil tumbled further and US stocks rose, facts that Trump pointed to at a press conference in France this week.