US-Iran tension: Why Tehran may choose confrontation over 'surrender'

Tensions between the US and Iran are escalating, evidenced by the increased US military presence in the Gulf region, including the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and the USS Gerald R Ford. While such deployments can be used as leverage in diplomacy, they also suggest that indirect talks between Tehran and Washington have reached a standstill. Iran's defiance stems from what it perceives as unacceptable US conditions for talks, including demands to end uranium enrichment, limit its ballistic missile range, and halt support for regional armed groups. These demands are viewed by Iran as a threat to its core security policies and its "Axis of Resistance," a network of allied armed groups. The situation raises concerns that the deadlock could lead to military action if neither side changes its position.

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