Iran unlikely to soften its position due to US strikes: Report

Iran is unlikely to soften its negotiating position in response to new rounds of US military strikes, The Washington Post reported Tuesday, citing intelligence assessments.

Analysts at US intelligence agencies have reportedly concluded that Tehran and Washington are, for now, “stuck in an indefinite limbo between peace and war,” according to US officials.

Intelligence analysts stressed Tehran’s staying power despite the loss of many of its top leaders and much of its military hardware to US and Israeli attacks.

The report said that US President Donald Trump’s ever-expanding attacks appear to have led to a stalemate as the war with Iran grew deeply unpopular with the US public.

It added that continued escalation by Washington, such as the possible deployment of ground troops, poses political risks for the president with no guarantee of military success.

The report comes as regional tensions continue to rise amid an exchange of attacks between the US and Iran. The latest escalation follows a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding signed by the two sides in June, aimed at ending the war and reaching a lasting peace agreement.

Jonathan Panikoff, former deputy US national intelligence officer for the Near East, said the Trump administration appears to believe that if it keeps applying greater military pressure, Tehran eventually will become more flexible.

“That assessment is almost certainly incorrect,” said Panikoff, adding: “I don’t think there’s a lot of great options for the United States.”

“You’ll continue to see significant flare-ups in this conflict,” he said, predicting periods of calm followed by renewed fighting.