How Trump’s threatened strikes on Iran could backfire

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 2 min read 75% complete by BloombergFebruary 21, 2026 at 12:49 AM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

President Trump considered limited military strikes against Iran to pressure them into a new nuclear deal. The US has deployed significant military assets to the Middle East, providing options for potential operations. However, experts suggest that bombing Iran during negotiations could backfire, potentially derailing any deal and triggering retaliation. An unnamed senior government official stated that Iran would likely suspend talks if attacked. Analysts argue that military threats alone could make Iran less willing to negotiate. The purpose and potential achievements of renewed air strikes remain unclear, even with Trump setting a 10-15 day deadline.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 30% Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini 30% Stimson Centre 40% Barbara Slavin 50% Pentagon 60% Tehran ×270% Middle East 70% United States ×380% Donald Trump ×490% Iran ×595%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Iran

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).