Iran surprises US with readiness for further escalation, Axios reports

Iran has surprised the United States with its readiness to further escalate the conflict, Axios reports, citing several sources among US officials.

According to one of the sources, Tehran has recently acted in a “very aggressive” manner.

The Islamic Republic carried out a strike on a US base in Jordan and later conducted “additional attacks” against American personnel in the Middle East. The source did not specify which particular Iranian actions were being referred to.

The US president is seriously considering strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure facilities, according to the report. A decision could be made in the coming days, with Washington potentially seeking to pressure Tehran into accepting its terms for a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the US leader called off a planned large-scale attack on Iran scheduled for August 1–2, opting instead for another attempt to reach an agreement with Tehran. Preparations for strikes on Iran’s energy facilities were halted after consultations between the United States and Gulf states, which expressed concerns over the risk of further regional escalation.

It was previously reported that Washington intends to secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the “elimination of Tehran’s nuclear threat” in the near future. The White House said that if negotiations fail, Iran would face “military terror.”

By Jeyhun Aghazada