The Strait of Hormuz was open. Iranian oil was under sanctions. Iranian funds were frozen. Through firm diplomacy—not theatrical diplomacy—it was possible to push Tehran toward new negotiations on its 60 percent enriched uranium, reducing enrichment levels, and accepting strict monitoring. Markets had not yet entered the looming disaster zone. Iran still viewed Hezbollah and its other regional arms as bargaining chips and extensions of its influence, a reality that has now become an officially acknowledged component of its regional strategy.
