A new analysis has emerged on the future of U.S.-Iran relations amid ongoing regional tensions and conflict. According to Muhannad Selum, assistant professor of international politics at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Tehran is not interested in returning unconditionally to the pre-war status quo. Instead, Iran aims to extract additional political or strategic concessions from Washington.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Selum explained that U.S. policy has recently shifted from diplomacy to war and then back to negotiations. He noted that Washington claims to have achieved certain military successes and now seeks to translate them into diplomatic gains, while Iran is resisting this approach. Selum added that although the United States retains military and diplomatic leverage, Iran’s effective pressure options are limited, with control over the Strait of Hormuz remaining its key strategic strength.

Selum further observed that since the war began in February, Iran’s position has weakened, yet Tehran continues to prioritize a diplomatic solution while seeking more than a simple restoration of previous conditions.