Tehran seeking diplomatic legitimacy and protection from Western-led sanctions
Tehran is aggressively pursuing a dual-track strategy of security alignment and economic evasion to circumvent Western-led sanctions and secure international legitimacy, relying heavily on its partnerships with Russia and China. As the United States and its allies enforce a heavy maritime blockade and expand secondary sanctions under "Operation Epic Fury" in September 2026, Iran has shifted away from traditional Western diplomacy toward alternative global mechanisms and gray-market trade networks.
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The skinny
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