Are U.S. strikes on Iran over?
Washington sent indirect messages to Tehran indicating that the strike carried out on Iranian nuclear facilities has concluded, and that the United States "does not seek to overthrow the regime" or engage in a full-scale war.
In a significant development following hours of intense military escalation between the United States and Iran on Sunday, informed American sources confirmed that Washington sent indirect messages to Tehran stating that the strike targeting Iranian nuclear facilities has ended, and that the United States "does not seek to overthrow the regime" or engage in a comprehensive war.
This American announcement, reported by media outlets citing Pentagon officials, comes after a wave of U.S. airstrikes that targeted military sites and facilities suspected of being used in the development of Iran’s nuclear program. The strikes followed weeks of escalating tensions between the two sides in the Gulf and the Middle East.
Despite Washington’s assertion that the goal of the strike was to "deter Tehran, not change its regime," the escalation has raised a series of questions: Have the strikes truly stopped? And will de-escalation channels succeed in preventing a slide into a broader confrontation?
According to Western diplomatic sources, the U.S. message was conveyed through international mediators, including Oman and Switzerland, in an attempt to quickly contain the situation before it spirals out of control. However, responses from Tehran appear more reserved. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi affirmed that his country retains all options for a "legitimate response," accusing the United States of violating the United Nations Charter and international law.
Iranian authorities, accustomed to employing gradual and calculated responses, find themselves in a complex position today. On one hand, they do not want to ignite a large-scale war; on the other, they cannot ignore strikes that targeted their nuclear infrastructure and caused losses, the full extent of which has not yet been disclosed.
In the U.S., political divisions remain evident. While some members of Congress stated that the strike was necessary to "protect U.S. and allied security," others warned of its consequences, arguing that it could drag the country into an unwanted conflict.
Ultimately, the U.S. strike appears, for now, to be limited in time and scope. However, the region remains on the brink of ignition, awaiting whether Tehran will respond and when. Unless genuine negotiation channels are opened, the "end of the strike" may not mean the end of the escalation.
a.k
ANHA
