A) Iran’s calculation that it can endure economic ruin longer than the U.S. political system can endure high energy prices.
B) The U.S. need to maintain global credibility by using military escalation to break a blockade that diplomacy failed to touch.
C) Domestic and international legal frameworks, ranging from the U.S. War Powers deadline to the UAE’s insistence on international maritime law.
D) Global financial and energy markets, which are forcing the hands of political leaders through the threat of an economic downturn.