Washington Seeking Iran Deal, Using Escalation Threats as Leverage, Researcher Says

The United States is seeking a deal with Iran while using the threat of further escalation to pressure Tehran, according to international affairs researcher Dr. Numan Tawfiq al-Abed.

Al-Abed said Washington faces difficulties bringing the war with Iran to an end, with the military approach failing to deliver a resolution.

His assessment places the search for an agreement at the center of Washington’s approach, even as the prospect of escalation remains part of its messaging toward Tehran.

He characterized those threats as a bargaining tool, framing them as pressure intended to advance a deal rather than evidence that military action alone can end the conflict.