Hushang Hossein’yari, a Middle East and military affairs expert, said Donald Trump’s threat about Tehran’s choice between “the easy path” and “the difficult path” means demanding the complete surrender of the Islamic Republic.

He added that, by strengthening its military presence in the region, the United States keeps the option of an attack on standby and, if Tehran does not comply with Washington’s demands, the likelihood of confrontation increases. According to Hossein’yari, America’s goal may not be limited to the nuclear program and could also include the Islamic Republic’s missile program and proxy forces.