Iran enters the week under mounting strain, juggling stalled talks with the United States, fresh sanctions, and a volatile standoff in the Strait of Hormuz that has nearly frozen global oil shipments. President Masoud Pezeshkian is defending the U.S. memorandum as Iran’s best path out of deadlock, while Tehran warns Gulf states against backing Washington’s pressure campaign. With Pakistan stepping in as mediator and domestic hardship deepening, the coming days could shape whether the crisis escalates or edges toward negotiation.