Rising Tensions Could Push Iran and Trump Toward a New Deal or Conflict

Iran faced many challenges in 2024: Regional Setbacks: Iran's influence in the Middle East suffered major blows. Israel attacked its embassy in Damascus, and key allies Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Assad regime in Syria faced defeats, weakening Iran's "Axis of Resistance." (Hamas, though, has regrouped, taking some of the sting out of that setback.) Economic Crisis: Iran's economy continued to deteriorate, with the Iranian rial plunging to its lowest historical value. The economic crisis was exacerbated by renewed U.S. sanctions…