Seyed M. Marandi: From "Economic D-Day" to Nuclear Strike Against Iran?

U.S. policy shifts are desperate stabs in the dark driven by Trump's need for a midterm win.

U.S. analysts misread Iran because their narratives are warped by financial incentives and think tank influence.

Iran is at war with the U.S. and its allies, so its response options are no longer constrained by past survival strategies. The pro-Western liberal position among Iranian elites has collapsed, shifting consensus toward Russia and China.

Iran will retaliate militarily against Gulf states and destroy U.S. assets if they participate in economic strangulation.

Gulf states are financially vulnerable and could collapse if Iran disrupts oil exports and they cannot access their U.S.-held assets.

U.S. threats are creating a global incentive for countries, including Iran, to develop nuclear weapons. Polling shows a significant majority of Iranians now support acquiring nuclear weapons, reversing previous opposition.

A U.S. or Israeli nuclear strike would be a game-changer leading to widespread proliferation.

The U.S. will forcibly prevent Gulf states from withdrawing assets from American bond markets to avoid a financial crisis.

Trump's comment about military intervention in the bond market signals a willingness to use force to prevent asset withdrawals.

A total Iranian oil blockade would remove roughly 20 million barrels per day from the market overnight. Such an oil shock would trigger a global depression given current U.S. economic fragilities.