Bangladesh, March 27 -- As the Iran war enters its fourth week, much of the debate in the United States is focused on the absence of a clear endgame, the erosion of longstanding alliances, and President Donald Trump's inconsistent messaging and incoherent diplomacy. Viewing the conflict as a contest over resources and regional power, Trump has relied on sanctions, isolation, and airstrikes to force Iran to yield. For Iran, however, the stakes go beyond material interests.

American foreign policy has long rested on a simple premise: impose enough economic pain, and adversaries will eventually give in. This approach often works when leaders conclude that their survival depends on compromise. But it fails in societies where, to paraphrase a...