Trump weighs escalation as 60-day Iran deadline expires without deal

The 60-day deadline established in the June memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran expired on Monday, 17 August, with none of the agreement's primary objectives achieved. The lapse of this diplomatic window leaves U.S. President Donald Trump facing a choice between economic attrition, military escalation, or a return to stalled negotiations. Stalled Progress in the Strait of Hormuz The memorandum, signed two months ago, was intended to secure a permanent settlement over Iran’s nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, the waterway remains heavily restricted, and substantive nuclear talks have failed to produce a breakthrough. The expiration of the deadline marks a formal end to the temporary truce, according to statements from both Washington and Tehran. Ali Vaez, deputy programme director for Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group, described the current state as a "game of chicken." While the U.S. aims to use economic pressure to bring Tehran to the table, Iran is betting that it can withstand the blockade until global energy costs and political pressure ahead of the U.S. midterm elections force a change…