Strike and standstill: Iran weighs its next move following US attack

Report by Petra Abou Haidar, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

The world awoke to the echoes of U.S. missiles targeting strategic Iranian sites, signaling a direct American entry into the escalating confrontation. 

With this shift, what are the political options facing Tehran?

One scenario suggests that Washington's strike may have been a calibrated "message to Iran" aimed at pressuring Tehran back to the negotiating table without triggering a full-scale war. This was implied by U.S. President Donald Trump, who, after the attack, stated that Iran should make a deal "before everything is lost," urging the country to save what he referred to as the remnants of the "former Iranian empire."

However, such a path hinges entirely on Tehran's response. Iran has repeatedly insisted it will not negotiate under fire. That stance was reaffirmed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who accused Washington and Tel Aviv of "blowing up diplomacy."

In a post on X, Araghchi wrote: "Last week, we were in negotiations with the U.S. when Israel decided to sabotage diplomacy. This week, we were in talks with the E3 and the EU, and the U.S. decided to blow up diplomacy. What conclusion would you draw?"

The European Union and the United Kingdom continue to press Iran to "return" to negotiations, though Tehran maintains it never left the table. Speaking at a press conference, Araghchi said the door to diplomacy should remain open but stressed that it is not the immediate solution.

Among the more drastic options reportedly under consideration in Tehran are withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), expulsion of international inspectors, and potentially activating regional allies to join the confrontation.

However, analysts warn that such moves could provoke broader military responses and plunge the country into prolonged instability or even threaten the survival of the Iranian regime itself. 

According to The New York Times, Iran risks years of internal and regional turbulence if escalation continues unchecked.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal cited a U.S. official as saying the Trump administration has communicated to Tehran that the airstrikes were a one-time action, not the beginning of a campaign to topple the government.

As the dust settles, the coming days will reveal whether the region edges further toward widespread conflict or both sides return to the negotiating table.