President Donald Trump has renewed reliance on military pressure to push Iran toward concessions at the negotiating table, despite months of conflict showing Tehran has resisted yielding to bombardment. In recent days the administration ordered new strikes on Iranian military targets, framing them as a way to punish delays and compel negotiations. Officials say the aim is to weaken Iranian leverage, but observers note that bombing has not so far forced Tehran to alter its core positions.

A CNN analysis and statements from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — who said, “if we must negotiate with bombs, we will negotiate with bombs” — reflect White House frustration with stalled diplomacy and a belief that force can produce bargaining chips. Critics warn the opposite risk: escalation may harden Iran’s resolve, reduce diplomatic flexibility, and make a negotiated settlement more elusive. Strategic analysts caution that coercion can close avenues for back-channel talks and provoke asymmetric responses across the region.

Tehran has consistently rejected agreements imposed under threat. Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, has reiterated that durable accords cannot be secured through intimidation or force, and that any acceptable deal must be voluntary and mutually negotiated.

The administration insists it does not seek a full-scale war, yet renewed strikes raise the probability of Iranian retaliation and wider instability. Lawmakers and analysts warn Tehran still possesses means to target energy infrastructure in Gulf states or to use allied groups such as the Houthis to threaten shipping lanes in the Red Sea, which could disrupt trade and push global energy prices higher. Such dynamics risk drawing more actors into the conflict and complicating diplomatic options.

For Mr. Trump, the political challenge is to secure an agreement that can be presented as a win. If the latest military campaign fails to change Iran’s calculations, the president may face mounting criticism for relying on coercion that has so far not produced the intended results, forcing a reevaluation of strategy and objectives.

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