Iran's Arc of Influence

Iran has pushed past another limit on the nuclear deal and promises further escalation if Europe can't help relieve the sanctions pressure on its economy.

Washington's new strategy to secure tanker traffic ultimately fails to address the impetus of Tehran's attacks: the crushing weight of U.S. sanctions.

When it comes to cyberwarfare, the White House has rewritten the rules of engagement, giving the Pentagon full rein to take the fight to its adversaries.

If the White House goes after the officials and entities appointed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it could choke off Iran's diplomatic options -- and deal another blow to its fragile economy.

Iran's retaliation campaign will likely continue –- at least until the United States establishes an effective deterrent against Iran carrying out such actions.

A retaliatory attack on Iran would carry with it the significant risk of triggering an escalatory cycle that could lead to full conflict.

Iran has invested for decades in capabilities to better strike U.S. assets, critical energy infrastructure around the Persian Gulf and other key strategic targets in the region. But how long would they last in military confrontation with the United States?

What happens when espionage is too effective -- and causes an international incident that explodes into an all-out assault? That is the topic of Tehran's Vengeance, the recent thriller by author David Austin. He joins Fred Burton to discuss in this episode of the Pen and Sword series, part of Stratfor Talks podcast.