Iran is employing a strategy of endurance to prolong the conflict with the U.S. while controlling the Strait of Hormuz [1].
This approach threatens global energy security by using the critical shipping lane as leverage. By restricting oil transport, Tehran aims to pressure the Trump administration into a favorable settlement as the conflict reaches a stalemate.
War between the two nations has continued for approximately six months [1]. Iranian officials have adopted a philosophy that endurance equals victory, operating on the belief that their threshold for patience is higher than that of the U.S. government [1].
Ebrahim Zolfigari, spokesperson for the Iranian Central Military Headquarters, emphasized the military's control over the region. Zolfigari said that the Iranian military would prevent ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz [1].
Within the Iranian government, officials said that they can endure the conflict better than their opponents [1]. This "hold out to win" strategy is designed to delay the war's conclusion, forcing the U.S. to deal with the economic fallout of disrupted oil supplies [1].
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has yet to establish a clear exit strategy to resolve the hostilities. The U.S. military remains engaged in combat operations in and around the strait, but the strategic deadlock persists as Tehran maintains its grip on the waterway [1].
“Hold out to win”
Iran is shifting the conflict from a purely military engagement to an economic one. By weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran is betting that global oil market volatility and domestic political pressure in the U.S. will force the Trump administration to accept a negotiated peace on Iranian terms.
