Is Iran really THAT much of a threat to the United States of America?
The U.S. fears that Iran, as a regional power with nuclear weapons would be able to hold the world’s petroleum supplies hostage. It would also give Iran control of all shipping in the Gulf area.
For example suppose Iran wanted to force the U.S. into something it does not want to do. Iran through its control of shipping could cause commodity oil prices to skyrocket causing an oil shock to the world’s economy. This would put the U.S. economy into a tail spin.