> I would wager Iran is barely hanging on. The question is which side can hang on longer.

I think this applies to both sides, and the issue is that the people in power are not affected by the crises that cause hardship to ordinary people. Fanatical leadership can live by "Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make" .

The problem though is that people in the USA do have one lever to pull on their government, in the form of approaching midterm elections, that the people of Iran do not. And the leadership of Iran knows it. They may be fanatical and awful but they're not stupid - causing fuel shortages causes economic pain to ordinary people causes political pain to the USA. They have this weapon and are using it heavily.

Notwithstanding that, this assessment of blame is correct ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49907371 ), the missteps that put us in this mess with no clear way out all come from stupid leadership in the USA.

You realize you mostly just agreed with everything I said but added more language?