NEW YORK, April 7. /TASS/. The likelihood of an end to hostilities involving the United States and Israel against Iran in the next 4-6 weeks is extremely low, Niamh McBurney, an expert from the Control Risks analytical company, said.
"We are probably not going to see a de-escalation for at least four to six weeks at this rate given where both sides are pretty fundamental in their positions and they have not changed," she said in an interview with Bloomberg TV, responding to a question about the inevitability of de-escalation amid Washington’s repeated changes to deadlines for reaching a deal.
McBurney added that the assessment voiced by the host may be incorrect, and that shifting deadlines do not necessarily signal an approaching de-escalation in the region.
In her view, the United States may be doing so for several reasons, including attempts to buy time for diplomacy and to deploy additional forces to the Middle East.
She also argued that Iran is not actually seeking de-escalation, as it is allegedly in a strong position of leverage and has the upper hand militarily.
According to her, Iranian politicians read the English-language press, and they fully understand the domestic dynamics in the US and how the US president is perceived internationally.
She also said Tehran is increasingly skeptical of Washington’s statements each time the White House adjusts deadlines for a potential agreement.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched military actions against Iran, striking major Iranian cities, including Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a large-scale retaliatory operation targeting Israel.
On March 26, the US president announced a suspension of strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure for 10 days – until 8:00 P.M. on April 6. According to a news website Axios, the US leader later extended the deadline for a possible agreement with Iran by one day, interpreting a post made by the White House chief on Truth Social, which stated without explanation: "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time".
On April 5, Axios reported that Washington and Tehran were discussing a possible 45-day ceasefire. In an interview with the same news outlet, the US president said there was "a good chance" of reaching a deal by April 6.