Abas Aslani, senior researcher at the Tehran-based Middle East Strategic
Research Center, said US lethal strikes were a counter to Iran’s stance on a
“new security arrangement” for the Strait of Hormuz. He said Trump initially
regard the interim deal as an “exit mechanism” to avoid a larger war and that
domestic political pressure, plus pressure from Israel, likely contributed to
the strikes. Aslani warned diplomatic space is narrowing; Tehran views the
attacks as an effort to weaken its control over the Strait. He added the recent
strikes were relatively limited in timing, scope and scale — suggesting the US
may not want to trigger a wider regional conflict — but said the situation is
highly unstable and any miscalculation could escalate into a regional war.
