Trump’s Iran gamble comes with big risksBy Ian BremmerAlthough Iran is not in the western hemisphere, it might well be the next theater where US President Donald Trump tries to reshape reality with military force — but unlike his quick win in Venezuela, US intervention in Iran could easily spiral out of control. Trump has made his position clear: Iran’s rulers can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way means accepting a deal tougher than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement) that Trump walked away from during his first term. The hard way means military strikes — big ones. If Trump strikes Khamenei, expect a bigger spike in the range of US$5 to US$10 per barrel — or possibly more if the transition goes badly.

Source: Taipei Times February 08, 2026 17:22 UTC