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Iran’s confidence in its ability to strike targets in the Middle East has reportedly increased, and Tehran appears determined to continue the conflict for months “to put the U.S. in a difficult position,” The New York Times reported on Friday.
A report, citing U.S. intelligence assessments, claimed that Iran appears determined to prolong the conflict for months to pressure Washington, while unnamed sources said the Iranian government was considering a significant escalation in the fighting.
Some current and former officials said there were signs that Iran intended to prolong the conflict at least until the U.S. midterm elections.
They said Tehran was aware that the war and high gasoline prices caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz were damaging to U.S. President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
Other officials said the intelligence indicated that, in the short term, the United States was likely to continue escalating tensions through economic sanctions.
Some sources assessed that Iran believes the U.S. military will struggle to launch new large-scale attacks as its ammunition stockpiles decline.
Regional tensions have escalated since U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began Feb. 28, with Tehran responding with missile and drone strikes against Israel and US interests across the region.
Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 concerning freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, but its implementation has stalled amid disagreements over security arrangements in the strait.
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