Analysis: limited conflict with US may suit Iran more than a peace deal
Analysts say Iran may calculate that maintaining a carefully controlled, limited conflict with the United States serves its interests better than either full-scale war or a formal peace deal. The assessment suggests Tehran could be seeking to sustain pressure on Washington while avoiding an all-out escalation.

Analysts assessing the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States say Tehran may see an advantage in keeping hostilities limited and carefully controlled, rather than pursuing either full-scale war or a formal peace settlement.
According to this assessment, Iranian leadership may believe it can sustain pressure on Washington and demonstrate resolve at home while avoiding the risks that a wider war would bring. Analysts caution that such a strategy carries its own dangers, since miscalculation on either side could still trigger a broader escalation.
The analysis comes as officials from both countries have described talks taking place during lulls in fighting, though no broader ceasefire or peace agreement has been reached. How long the current pattern of intermittent strikes and pauses continues remains uncertain.
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