Amid an unresolved conflict between the United States and Iran, a question of civilizational consequence has receded into the background: whether Iran will translate its substantial stockpile of highly enriched uranium into nuclear weapons. Iran's mastery of the Strait of Hormuz has provided a form of leverage that requires no warhead, yet the knowledge to build one endures beyond any bombing campaign. The answer to this question — weapon, bargaining chip, or both — may ultimately shape the architecture of power in the Middle East for generations.