Experts from Syria have said the future of the situation in Iran is facing growing uncertainty with multiple possible trajectories ahead, following the unsuccessful talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad.
After 21 hours of marathon-like negotiations, the United States and Iran failed to reach an agreement in the latest round of talks in the Pakistani capital city on Sunday.
In separate interviews with China Global Television Network, analysts said the failure to reach an agreement underscores entrenched structural divisions between the two sides.
According to media reports on Sunday, hours after negotiations with Iran collapsed, U.S. President Donald Trump was already looking at resuming limited military strikes in Iran in addition to the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz "as a way to break a stalemate in peace talks."
On Monday in a social media post, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi blamed the U.S. maximalist demands and naval blockade threats for the two countries' failure to reach an agreement in their peace talks in Pakistan.
"Both Iran and the U.S. see themselves as the victors. The U.S. entered these talks with a high tone and wanted to threaten Iran and impose its conditions. On the other side, we are talking about a rising power in the region that has managed to stand up to the U.S., and has also foiled many of their plans," said Steven Sahiounie, a Syrian journalist and political commentator.
"Trump entered the war wanting to overthrow the regime but did not manage to do it. Iranian missiles were falling on American bases in the Gulf countries and the Israeli occupied areas. Things are likely to further escalated, especially with the presence of a person detached from reality and narcissistic like Trump, who wants escalation. I can see a new round of war, but there are domestic pressures on Trump, especially with the approaching U.S. mid-term elections," he said.
Meanwhile, other experts said that domestic political pressures and economic risks linked to potential instability in the Middle East may encourage both sides, especially the U.S., to keep diplomatic channels open despite the current deadlock.
"The talks between the U.S. and Iranian delegations failed due to American intransigence and a series of unrealistic and impossible demands submitted by the U.S. side. Having failed to achieve these goals on the battlefield, the U.S. are now trying to secure a political victory to present to the American and international audience," said Burhan Shaban, an international relations expert in Syria.
"I believe there will be another round of negotiations because the options available to the Americans have become truly limited. The inability to achieve military victory on the ground will inevitably lead to another round of talks between the two countries to end this issue. The situation in Iran has become a great burden and a serious threat, not only to the Middle East region, but to the entire world, the global economy, and the movement of goods and commodities," he said.
Syrian experts highlight uncertainty in Iran situation after stalled U.S.-Iran talks
