Moscow Dismisses Trump’s Middle East Moves as Calculated Psychological Warfare Against Iran

Leading Moscow media outlets are analyzing recent White House actions in the Middle East, warning of an unprecedented escalation amid a strategic standoff between Washington and Tehran. According to a report first published by the Russian newspaper Izvestia, the United States is conducting a sophisticated psychological campaign aimed at destabilizing Iran’s leadership. This campaign involves a deliberate pattern of threats and temporary military withdrawals designed to confuse Tehran and prepare the ground for a surprise military strike.

Russian analysts cited by Izvestia describe President Donald Trump’s approach as a "madman strategy," combining aggressive rhetoric with last-minute cancellations of planned attacks. This tactic aims to lull the Iranian regime into a false sense of security before a potential deadly operation. The report references recent events, including Trump’s tight deadline for Iran to reach an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday, warning of devastating airstrikes if no deal is reached. This follows the weekend’s aborted attack, which reportedly involved Israeli participation.

Iranian officials and state media have dismissed the American threats as toothless psychological warfare, with some revealing they have consulted psychologists to decode Trump’s erratic negotiation style. Tehran maintains a defiant stance, demanding full control over maritime traffic entering the Strait of Hormuz and oversight of outgoing vessels, signaling no intention to change its position. Meanwhile, the Iranian military remains on high alert, warning that any real attack would provoke a multifaceted response targeting U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. military has notably refrained from retaliating against recent Iranian attacks on a base in Kuwait and a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Concurrently, Israeli security forces are conducting their own operations against Iranian officers as part of "Operation Roar of the Tiger," also distributing materials to encourage Iranian citizens to eventually overthrow their regime.

The ongoing escalation has inflicted significant economic damage, including drone attacks on oil reserves in Oman and an estimated $11.3 billion cost to the U.S. in the first six days of conflict. Iran has also published a list of American tech giants, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, as potential targets. Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya channel reported that an official announcement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is expected soon, possibly signaling progress in talks between Iran and Oman. However, U.S. security experts caution that Iran’s strong rhetoric has always been a consistent feature.