I haven't gotten far into the game, but I dare to say that not deprecating Talos worship wouldn't have changed anything is not true. Stopping Talos worship was the Dominions no. 1 priority, without that, they probably wouldn't have stopped.

Ah, I miss the days when the glorious empire still had a space station, the aid of dragons, a time-bending stompy robot and the largest army ever known - Don't forget Black Marsh and Cyrodiil also were hit badly in the two novels that were set between Oblivion and Skyrim - Cyrodiil - at least - lost two entire legions by failed air strikes, not to mention an unknown number of settlements and civilians.

An independent Skyrim doesn't have a treaty with the Aldmeri Dominion. The AD views all races other than Altmer as inferior. Thalmor Justiciars are considered enemy combatants but due to the treaty you're not supposed to attack them, so if there are witnesses it's considered a crime, although not a major one.

There is evidence in game about the motives of the Aldmeri Dominion, but those belong in the spoilers forum, not in general forum, and there is plenty of discussion there.

Empire did sort of ban it, but it's up to the Thalmors to enforce the ban. Perhaps this is Aldemeri Dominion's way of getting stranglehold in the territories of the Mede empire.

If you are going to dismiss anything not explicitly spelled out in the game, then you are going to have a hard time with TES lore, sir. For the basis of TES lore is that reality (in-universe) is malleable.

Where in Nirn did you come across such valuable information? Assuming the moves of an enemy is not anticipating them, it is downright foolish. The Thalmor fought the Empire to the point of everything being destroyed. Camilla Valerius touches on this subject when talking to her. The Thalmor MAY be just as weakened as the Empire and are bluffing their asses off... or they might not and simply have planned to fight to a draw. The Thalmor had men in Cyrodiilic/Imperial government for years, and given the lifespan of Mer, perhaps a century or two. They knew when to strike, how to strike, and where to strike. The Empire has made a treaty, alllowing the Thalmor to send it's own agents throughout Imperial lands and perhaps even take office in politics as well, weakening the structure of the Empire from within.

If the Thalmor and Empire came to blows again, it would not be for anything less than victory and the likely demise of Titus Mede's Empire.

Skyrim, and by extension, the Stormcloaks, are being leeched off of slowly by the Empire. If they continue to live under the Empire, the Empire will be stronger, yes, but Skyrim will be weaker. If the Cloaks win, then they will be attacked in force by the Thalmor. They may lose and they may not, but throughout the history of Tamriel, man has always come out on top, and whether or not the Dominion allows them to openly worship Talos, he will watch over Man and aid them in their survival.

Pretty much, nothing happened until Ulfric took offence to it.