“Very limited” choices according to American experts
While Israel continues its air strikes on Iranian territory for the third consecutive day, Tehran’s options appear particularly limited according to international analysts.
Alan Eyre, a former American nuclear negotiator, described Iran’s situation as “very dark” and “very limited” in his statements in Al Jazeera. According to him, the Islamic Republic is forced to respond militarily “just to save the face on the inner level”, but this response risks being insufficient in the face of Israeli resistance capacity.
“It is very unlikely that Iran can cause enough damage inside Israel to exert any pressure and bring it to stop its bombing,” analyzed the expert. He also underlines the limits of the diplomatic path for Iran, which “has no allies as that in the international community”, faced with an Israel which has been “spectacularly reluctant to listen to international opinion”.
The military option: “save face” despite the limits
The recommendation of Eyre for Iran is to “hold on” by inflicting the maximum possible damage to Israel to preserve its internal credibility, then rethink its defense strategy once the bombings have been stopped. This new approach could include “the attempt to obtain a nuclear weapon, rather than simply maintaining the ability to have one”, a prospect that the expert judges “very worrying”.
The diplomatic option: European allies reach out
Faced with this escalation, Germany, France and the United Kingdom have proposed immediate negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, currently visiting the Middle East, said working to reduce tensions in the current conflict.
“Germany, with France and Great Britain, is ready. We offer Iran immediate negotiations on the nuclear program, I hope that this offer will be accepted, “he said on German public television Ard.
The nuclear option: between deterrence and negotiation
During a press briefing in Tehran, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abbas Araghchi, reiterated the official position of his country, claiming that he is from the “firm conviction” of Iran not to hold nuclear weapons. However, he defended Tehran’s right to maintain a nuclear program for exclusively civil purposes.
Regarding negotiations canceled with the United States, Araghchi revealed that Iran was “ready to provide the necessary insurance for Americans” and accused Israel of opposing any diplomatic progress between Tehran and Washington.
“This is a perfectly clear question. The Zionist entity does not want us to reach an agreement or a diplomatic solution with the United States, “he said.
An intensification conflict
The Iranian authorities insist that their strikes against Israel are part of self -defense in the face of repeated attacks. They ensure that they do not seek the expansion of the conflict to other countries in the region, except in the event of provocation or direct threat to their security.
However, with Iranian missiles who have managed to unravel the Israeli air defenses and destroy buildings in the heart of Israeli territory, and Israel threatening with even more important strength, the region seems to sink into a spiral of violence whose outcome remains uncertain.
