New Delhi, January 28 (ANI): Middle East expert Trita Parsi has said that war with Iran is “not off the table,” warning that any US attack would be treated as an act of war by Tehran and could trigger a military confrontation.
In an interview with ANI, Parsi explained that while President Donald Trump has the political capital to carry out an attack, initiating military action could cost him domestically, particularly in the upcoming US midterm elections if it leads to a prolonged conflict.
Referring to US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June last year amid tensions with Israel, Parsi noted that Tehran previously aimed to avoid escalation, responding symbolically, such as by striking an empty American base in Qatar. “Unlike before, all signals now indicate that such limited responses will not be acceptable. Any attack will be treated as an act of war and war will ensue,” he said.
Parsi added that the Trump administration delayed strikes two weeks ago because it lacked the assets needed for a larger-scale war. “I don’t think war is off the table at all. The reason for the delay was that the assets were not in place for the type of larger war likely to follow any US attack,” he explained.
On Tuesday, President Trump reiterated his hardline stance on Iran during a campaign-style event in Iowa, emphasizing both military pressure and the possibility of negotiations. He pointed to a significant US military buildup in the Middle East, stating, “There’s another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now. So we’ll see. I hope they make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time.”
Parsi said the likelihood of a preemptive Iranian strike remains low, as Tehran would likely respond only after a US attack. In such a scenario, Iran would aim to politically outlast Trump by inflicting damage while avoiding total defeat. “If the US attacks, the Iranians will strike back most likely. Their aim will be to try to outlast Trump, inflict as much damage as possible on US forces without losing the war,” he said.
He added that the scenario would differ if Iran attacked first, noting that a US response to an initial strike would involve a different type of political and military calculation.
Parsi also questioned Trump’s political capital for initiating war. “I don’t think he has it at all. He doesn’t have base support either. But attacking could still serve other strategic calculations, particularly in preparing for internal political and legal challenges if the Democrats take control after the midterms,” he said.
Earlier this month, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff outlined conditions required for a deal with Iran, including a ban on uranium enrichment, removal of enriched uranium, capping long-range missile stockpiles, and reversing support for regional proxy forces. Tehran has expressed willingness to negotiate but rejected these terms.
Trump also referenced the June strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, asserting that US action “obliterated” the country’s nuclear capacity, though the extent of disruption remains unclear. “People have been waiting for 22 years to do that,” he said, referring to the June bombing campaign.
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