The United States is in a precarious position in the Persian Gulf following its conflict with Iran, and any further escalation could severely damage Washington’s strategic interests, says Joshua Landis, professor of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. In an interview with The Hindu, Landis argues that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports is unlikely to succeed and that Iran has emerged with strategic advantages, including leverage over the Strait of Hormuz. He also warns that Israel, dissatisfied with the absence of regime change in Iran, may attempt to draw the U.S. back into prolonged conflict, risking long‑term instability in the region and political fallout at home.