Nepal, Feb. 25 -- Poised though he may be to unleash a deadly barrage of bombs and missiles on Iran, Donald Trump finds himself questioning why Tehran has not yet "capitulated" in the face of his military build-up in the Middle East. The US president's special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on Saturday that Trump was "curious" about Iran's resolve to resist his warnings if a deal was not reached on Tehran's nuclear programme.

There are straightforward reasons to explain Iran's refusal to surrender as Trump wants. But they may not make much sense to the world of pelf and plunder that the US president subscribes to like an addict. Let's say the answer, if the so-called 'most powerful man on the planet' is indeed interested in one, lies ...