The Trump administration's measured rollout of sanctions against Iran reveals a strategic preference for leverage over regime collapse, avoiding the disruptive consequences experienced after similar broad restrictions in 1996 that led to a WTO violation. While Treasury Secretary Bessent’s rhetoric suggested an “economic D-Day,” the lack of secondary sanctions targeting Iran’s energy sector, the country's economic mainstay, indicates a deliberate calibration intended to…

The US strike against a vessel in the Eastern Pacific, the first of its kind in months since June 2023, raises questions about the effectiveness and transparency of counter-narcotics operations, particularly given coca production increased by 8% between 2021 and 2023. While presented as a kinetic strike targeting trafficking, the incident’s details, including the type of ordnance used and any recovered contraband, remain conspicuously absent from public reporting. This lack…