They could believe in their longterm capacity for success in a war with Israel and the US but still want to avoid all of the destruction that would entail. If they blow up Saudi oil fields, close the straits of hormuz, and attack US bases then any hope of deescalation is lost.
If that were true Iran would have almost certainly taken some of the actions I’ve described. They’re trying to use that as a threat to get the US to back down and reign in their attack dog.
They could believe in their longterm capacity for success in a war with Israel and the US but still want to avoid all of the destruction that would entail. If they blow up Saudi oil fields, close the straits of hormuz, and attack US bases then any hope of deescalation is lost.
Hope of deescalation is already lost. Join us in reality where Iran has just entered existential total war with a genocidal entity.
If that were true Iran would have almost certainly taken some of the actions I’ve described. They’re trying to use that as a threat to get the US to back down and reign in their attack dog.
Nothing will cause the US or Israel to back down except extreme overwhelming violent force