BEIJING, May 5. /TASS/. The US-Israeli military operation against Iran has resulted in a stalemate for Washington, Li Zixin, assistant research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, stated.
"The current position of the US may be characterized as a stalemate. From a tactical standpoint, American servicemen fear that a full-scale escalation could lead to a war, which would contradict the US' initial strategic goal of withdrawing from the Middle East [conflict]," the China Central Television quoted the expert as saying.
According to Li Zixin, if the US "tolerates and endures", it will undermine its allies' trust. He noted that the Iranian authorities realize the conflicting sentiments in the US, which seeks to exploit its military might while fearing becoming embroiled in a war.
The Chinese expert believes neither Washington nor Tehran can claim full control of the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, according to him, Iran "is indeed capable of disrupting regular navigation" due to its geographical advantage. Therefore, the US would find it easier to "block, rather than open" the strait. Thus, according to Li Zixin, neither the US nor Iran "would manage to ensure the strait's normal functioning in accordance with their own requirements."
The expert noted that "Iran’s tough stance" cannot be considered "an empty bravado." "Their demand – 'choose one of the two' – is, in fact, a way to engage in asymmetric warfare and force the US to acknowledge Iran's dominant position in managing the strait," he said.
According to Li Zixin, even though the US has certain technical advantages, it would find it hard to counter Tehran in the current conditions. The expert noted that against this backdrop, the risk of transitioning to a new round of escalation is rising.