With energy markets and the global economy roiling, President Donald Trump made clear on Monday that he wants to see the Iran war ended sooner rather than later. Peace talks are likely to take place in Pakistan this week.

This is positive. Trump should first end Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz energy chokepoint and eliminate new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei. But diplomacy should then follow.

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The challenge facing the president is that Iran clearly senses it holds the strategic initiative. And by overly broadcasting his interest in excluding energy targets from the war and in cutting a deal as quickly as possible, Trump risks encouraging Iran to double down on the war.

As of Monday, Trump has offered optimism about a looming peace deal, ruling out further U.S. or Israeli strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure unless........

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