Trump's threat on Iran is 'unprecedented' in some key ways

SelfRugger · 2026-02-21T13:16:14+00:00

President Trump's consideration of a limited strike on Iran to influence nuclear negotiations is seen as unprecedented, marking a different approach in geopolitical dynamics, particularly between major and lesser powers.

SelfRugger

2026-02-21 13:16:14

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Trump’s threat on Iran is ‘unprecedented’ in some key ways

Yahoo Finance Video and Julie Hyman

Sat, February 21, 2026 at 10:00 PM GMT+9

President Trump is considering a limited strike to persuade Iran to agree to a nuclear deal.

Pangaea Policy founder Terry Haines joins Market Catalysts host Julie Hyman to explain several ways Trump’s threat is unprecedented.

To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Catalysts.

Video Transcript

00:00 Speaker A

It seems like that the President is considering this strike because of the nuclear discussions with Iran as a way to force Iran’s hand.

00:05 Speaker A

Right. Is that unprecedented? Is that something that the US has done before for that particular purpose? I don’t mean with Iran, I just mean in general. It feels like

00:15 Speaker A

it feels like something different than has happened before.

00:19 Terry

Yeah, it’s uh it’s unprecedented in in the sense that you’re looking at a second or third rank power uh with uh that’s trying to get nuclear capability and a uh and and a major power uh is dissuading. Uh it is uh certainly kind of west uh west versus non-west, it’s unprecedented. Uh I can make a lot of arguments that this is the kind of thing China does in uh with North Korea by by the way, holding holding them back. But it’s unprecedented in that sense. It’s not unprecedented in the sense that uh uh the United States allies, even Gulf uh even Gulf allies uh have worked together in the past uh to uh to limit uh uh nuclear capabilities and the use of nuclear weapons.

01:04 Terry

I go back always in a very to high geopolitical risk. I always go back to the 1973 Yom Kapur war, uh because there was a point where uh where both Russia and the United States were uh were were threatening uh nuclear escalation uh unless that particular conflict was contained. Uh so, you know, this particular fact set uh may be unique, but uh the possibility of uh powers, first-rank powers intervening to limit the ability of other powers to use or develop nuclear weapons, uh you know, isn’t unprecedented.

01:35 Speaker A

Terry, thanks a lot for hanging with us this morning from the tariffs to the possible Iran strikes. Really appreciate it.

01:42 Terry

My pleasure. Thank you.

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