Abbas Aslani, a senior researcher at the Tehran-based Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, pointed out that while the US persists in its strategy of economic strangulation and claims there are no negotiations with Iran, it is simultaneously "sending informal messages to Tehran through regional mediators." He stated that this approach exposes the US's intention: to attribute any minor progress in negotiations to its own pressure. Aslani further analyzed that Trump not only needs to find a way out but also needs to package the entire process as a victory to appease the American public—this is equally crucial for him. However, he also pointed out that Trump's erratic negotiating style makes it difficult to predict when the war will end. "What will happen in the next few days or weeks is still unclear because the US president himself is not a stable or predictable figure."
