U.S. officials believe sanctions could hurt Iran more than bombs (axios.com)

President Trump's economic assault on Iran has drawn a fraction of the attention devoted to his bombing campaign, even as senior U.S. officials believe it may ultimately do more damage to the regime in Tehran. Why it matters: U.S. intelligence and open-source media reports point to a deepening economic crisis inside Iran, including gasoline shortages in one of the world's most oil-rich countries. "The Iranians want to stop being bombed and they want money," a senior administration official said. "But that's almost in reverse order. They really want the money first." Driving the news : Trump, who paused U.S. strikes against Iran over the weekend after 13 consecutive days of attacks, said Monday that Tehran had requested a meeting to discuss a deal. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denied that claim. Both sides are talking to mediators, led by Oman, Qatar and Pakistan, who are seeking to convert the pause in fighting into a durable new ceasefire . Zoom in : A major focus of the talks is a proposal that would give Iran and Oman a measure of authority — and potential revenue — in managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The arrangement would draw elements from the cooperative framework used by Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. "Some of the Iranians want this. Others don't. That's part of the issue," the senior administration official said. Iran wants assurances it won't be attacked again by the United States. It also wants money — both unfrozen assets and freedom from U.S. sanctions and its blockade. Trump is wary of rewarding Iran for disrupting traffic through the strait and is demanding that Tehran surrender its remaining nuclear material. Zoom out: A second U.S. official acknowledged that sanctions and the U.S. naval blockade will take longer to force Tehran to the table than a full-scale bombing campaign, which Trump has so far declined to authorize. That prolonged timeline could deepen Republicans' political exposure , leaving them to defend an unpopular war and elevated gas prices through the midterm campaign. "I have a lot of patience," Trump told reporters Monday. Between the lines: "Intelligence is picking up that the Iranians are complaining they can't pay their fighters," a U.S. official said. "Why? Because of the financial pressures. Because of Treasury. Because of what [Treasury Secretary] Scott Bessent is doing." "They're in danger of runs on banks. There are gasoline shortages in this giant oil-rich country," the official added. "They're more scared of Treasury than the War Department." Inside the room : In prior talks with U.S. negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the Iranians made clear that gaining access to money was a central priority, according to U.S. officials. "They're begging Steve and Jared for cash. They're desperate for it," one of the officials claimed. The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 people, vessels and aircraft