So what should U.S. policymakers actually prioritize first? Should they be containing the escalation, reassuring regional partners, reopening communication channels, or actually defining a realistic political end state before the conflict widens?

Remember that many of these things you listed are simply tools.

You wouldn't ask a plumber if he needs suppliers more than a ranch.

He's both, depends on the job.

So the starting point is like the plumber, what are you trying to do? And here it's what's the administration trying to do? Now it's been a little confusing.

Then you also have to deal with what is the other guy trying to do? In this case, the Iranian goals have changed as the war has gone on.

Before the war, they were in a negotiation about a nuclear program.

Just out of curiosity, if you were a U.S. ambassador to Iran, what would you do?