Once again, Iran has been “completely defeated(彻底击败)”, said Donald Trump on June 10th. Confusingly, the “Bully of the Middle East”, despite being “DEAD!!!”, will have to “pay the price(付出代价)!!!” of not agreeing to Mr Trump’s peace terms. In reality, despite more than 100 days of being bombed and blockaded by the world’s top military superpower and its Israeli ally, the Iranian regime is emboldened(备受鼓舞的；更大胆的). This week it downed an American helicopter and fired missiles at its Gulf neighbours and Israel. It is almost as if Iran is daring Mr Trump to scrap the shaky ceasefire and restart a hot war.(这几乎就像伊朗在挑衅特朗普，让他撕掉摇摇欲坠的停火协议，重新点燃一场热战。)
6月10日，唐纳德·特朗普称伊朗再次被“彻底击败”。矛盾的是，这个“中东恶霸”虽然“已经死了！！！”，却将因为没有接受特朗普的和平条件而“付出代价！！！”事实上，尽管遭受世界顶级军事强国及其以色列盟友超过100天的轰炸和封锁，伊朗政权反而更加大胆。本周，它击落了一架美军直升机，并向其海湾邻国和以色列发射导弹。这几乎像是在挑衅特朗普：撕毁摇摇欲坠的停火协议，重启热战。
Mr Trump is in a triple bind(三重困境). Iran is garrotting(绞杀，勒死) the global energy supply by threatening tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel is bombing Lebanon, despite Mr Trump telling it not to. And hawks(鹰派人物) in America are pressing Mr Trump to chase unrealistic war aims. Something must eventually give. But the mess that Mr Trump created by starting the war could take longer to clear up than markets are expecting. The world must prepare for higher energy prices.
特朗普陷入了三重困境。伊朗通过威胁霍尔木兹海峡的油轮，正在绞杀全球能源供应。以色列无视特朗普的警告，仍在轰炸黎巴嫩。而美国的鹰派正在施压特朗普，追求不切实际的战争目标。总有一方最终要妥协。但特朗普开启战争所制造的烂摊子，清理起来可能比市场预期的更长。世界必须为更高的能源价格做好准备。
Inside Iran the situation is opaque(不透明的；模糊的). But the war seems to have strengthened the hand of(增强了……的力量) hardliners, notably the Revolutionary Guards(① 伊斯兰革命卫队（IRGC）成立于19...), who appear to be in charge. Iran’s people are suffering misery, penury(极度贫困) and power cuts, but the latest attacks suggest that their rulers would rather risk a return to full-scale conflict than accept a peace deal on Mr Trump’s terms. After first playing down the tension, Mr Trump ordered retaliatory strikes, which in turn spurred Iran to launch more missiles.
伊朗国内局势不明。但这场战争似乎加强了强硬派的势力，尤其是掌权的革命卫队。伊朗人民正遭受苦难、贫困和停电，但最新袭击表明，其统治者宁愿冒全面战争的风险，也不愿接受特朗普的条件。特朗普最初淡化紧张局势，随后下令报复性打击，这反过来又刺激伊朗发射了更多导弹。
