US-Iran War: Will Trump Or Mojtaba Find A Way To De-Escalate Tensions? | Explained

US-Iran tensions centered on the Strait of Hormuz have produced ten nights of retaliatory strikes and an intensified US military posture, prompting Iranian officials to say mutual agreements are effectively dismantled; experts warn Washington faces two stark choices—large-scale military escalation requiring tens of thousands of forces to secure the strait or a negotiated, likely imperfect diplomatic settlement—while neither side has clearly defined strategic objectives, raising the risk of rapid, uncontrolled escalation that will require high-level mediation or political will to de‑escalate.