Iran’s refusal to concede frustrates US and Israel, raising the risk of a major escalation

Middle East Eye journalist Tamara Himani spoke to Dr Mahjoob Zweiri, director of a Gulf studies centre, who said Iran’s handling of the escalating conflict is frustrating both the United States and Israel due to its refusal to offer concessions. Zweiri added that voices within the US administration, influenced by Benjamin Netanyahu, are pushing for the war to continue, arguing Washington has been embarrassed by developments around the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that talk of a major escalation aimed at forcing Iran to capitulate is gaining momentum and that the possibility of ground deployment is increasingly being considered. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at [email protected] Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye