March 13, 2026
What exactly is President Donald Trump trying to achieve in Iran, and how does it compare with past US interventions in the Middle East?
Before the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell warned President George W. Bush about what became known as the “Pottery Barn rule”:
“You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million people… You’ll own all their hopes, their aspirations, and problems. You’ll own it all…. The Pottery Barn rule, ‘You break it, you own it.’”
The idea was simple: if the US destroys a regime, it becomes responsible for what comes next. But Trump’s approach to Iran looks very different, raising a bigger question: if Washington breaks something this time, will it feel responsible for owning it?
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Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with journalists to comment on new U.S. sanctions targeting two major Russia's oil producers, as well as other international issues, in Moscow, Russia, October 23, 2025.
Sputnik/Alexander Shcherbak/Pool via REUTERS
The US has paused Russian oil sanctions in a bid to stabilize energy markets rocked by the war with Iran. Administration officials stress that it’s a “tailored” measure, applying only to oil already loaded onto tankers, but it’s still a gift to Russia, which has already been clocking an extra $150 million daily in oil revenues since the war began.
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Two weeks ago, President Donald Trump launched a war of choice to topple Iran's regime expecting a quick, clean win.
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