Alex Vatanka: Iran’s ‘Main Leverage Was Their Nuclear Program … That Leverage Is Kind of Gone’

RUSH EXCERPT:

VATANKA: “They always knew that they have power over the strait.” It’s just basic geography of the place. 20 or so miles of the strait. Always going back to the 1980s, I remember officials back then were saying if Iran was prevented from trading with the world it would stop all trade. This isn’t a new thing. But I think they didn’t really know what leverage this was. In terms of context over the last 20 plus years, their main leverage was their nuclear program. They kept enriching uranium and that was supposed to be giving them leverage. President Trump took out Iran’s nuclear facilities last summer, and the facilities were further struck over the course of the latest war. That leverage is kind of gone, essentially. This war proved to Iran that threatening the maritime traffic”