Staff Reports
The latest Newsmax segment brought Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt (Ret.) and Dr. Sheila Nazarian together to make the case conservatives already suspect: economic and military pressure on Iran is working and must keep going. On the show they praised stepped‑up strikes, U.S. naval moves in the Strait of Hormuz, and narrow Treasury waivers meant to steady oil markets — all tools President Trump’s administration is using to squeeze Tehran. If you like vivid talk, Holt even said the United States is now “dictating those terms.”
Holt’s Bottom Line: “Terms Table” — Opinion, But Forceful
Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt (Ret.) told Newsmax viewers that recent U.S. strikes and operations have degraded Iran’s military reach and shifted the balance. “I would call it a terms table. This is the best you’re going to get. We’re going to dictate those terms now,” Holt said on air. That is his assessment, and it’s an upbeat one. Independent outlets have documented the strikes and damage to Iranian systems, but calling the campaign a decisive victory is an expert judgment, not a sealed verdict. Still, it’s encouraging to see former military leaders speak plainly about strategy and effects.
Energy and the Strait of Hormuz: Job Number One
Energy stability is at the heart of this fight. Holt emphasized that getting oil flowing and reopening the strait is “job number one.” The administration issued a time‑limited Treasury (OFAC) waiver to allow some Iranian crude already at sea to be sold, a move Reuters and other outlets reported was meant to blunt a spike in global oil prices. At the same time, U.S. naval interdictions — which Reuters says have turned back vessels linked to Iranian ports — aim to choke Tehran’s revenue streams without blowing up world markets. Clever, surgical pressure beats sloppy chaos.
Nazarian: Finish the Job — A Clear, If Controversial, View
Dr. Sheila Nazarian’s line is unambiguous: pressure should continue until the regime’s ability to terrorize the region and hold global energy hostage is broken. In a Washington Examiner op‑ed she wrote bluntly that “we need to finish the job in Iran.” That stance is polarizing, sure, but it’s not jaw‑dropping. Many Americans remember that weakness invites trouble. Nazarian and Holt argue that combining sanctions, naval pressure, and targeted strikes is the smart way to force Tehran to change behavior without committing to open‑ended ground wars.
What Comes Next — Keep the Pressure, Mind the Risks
We should back a strategy that squeezes Iran’s purse strings, protects the Strait of Hormuz, and buys time for diplomacy under clear pressure. That does not mean ignoring risks. Smart pressure needs clear objectives, allied buy‑in, and careful public explanation so Americans know why the administration is acting. President Trump’s mix of economic tools and limited military moves has critics, but it also has results on the table — and results, not excuses, are what keep our allies calm and our adversaries guessing. If the goal is to stop Iran from exporting chaos and blackmailing energy markets, doubling down on what works is the right play.
