Tehran will return to nuclear negotiations with far fewer cards. Even if it seeks a token gesture on enrichment, that could be rejected. Remaining options include capitulation or even civil war.
An important institutional body with an 8-year term, this collection of ageing and sclerotic clerics is meant to wield real power by overseeing the Supreme Leader. In practice, they simply nod along.
The standoff in the Hormuz is not simply a question of whether Tehran can survive economic pressure, but whether Washington can sustain the pressure at an acceptable cost.
The Strait of Hormuz is now poised to become the primary arena of confrontation, with Iran relying on speedboat-driven guerrilla warfare to confront the US navy.
Former regime soldiers are stuck in limbo, as their undocumented status prevents them from working, travelling, and curbs family members' access to education, healthcare and social services