U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to broaden air strikes on Iran to include power plants and bridges if Iran does not agree to a deal. The issue matters for UPSC because it combines West Asia geopolitics, maritime security, and energy security.

The escalation has already involved multiple days of U.S. military action. A naval blockade on Iran’s ports has been reimposed, and a fragile ceasefire that existed around mid-June had already broken down.