The US and Israel have begun their long-feared war on Iran. This means the talks in Geneva have failed, despite the hope Iran still held by midweek.
The US trying to Drive a Hard Bargain, Iran said
When the talks between the US and Iran resumed in January 2026, the US insisted that Iran would have to dismantle all its nuclear facilities. The Trump administration also wanted Iran to minimize the quantity of ballistic missiles it has. Another bone of contention for the US has been the government’s support for US adversaries, including Syria and major groups in Palestine.
Iran not Ready to reduce its Missiles
After realizing Iran had no intention of disposing of its ballistic missiles or abandoning its allies, the US ignored the fact that Iran was ready to fulfill one major demand: to stop producing uranium for ordinary use.
Iran and the US communicated through a proxy.
The US and Iran used a delegation from Oman as a go-between, led by the Omani Foreign Minister. He expressed optimism as the meeting ended on Thursday, saying that what remained was for technical teams from both countries to agree on practical approaches.
However, the delegates from the two countries, who had never sat at the same table, were less optimistic. The US continued to prepare to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, while its ally, Israel, issued war threats.
Will the US and Israeli Strikes Lead to a Full-Scale Regional War?
Now that both the US and Israel have begun to attack Iran in a well-coordinated effort, is the rest of the region going to be affected?
Is the attack going to escalate in the style of the Russia-Ukraine war?
One disadvantage Iran has is a poorly performing economy. The fact that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has an economic problem at home may have influenced the timing of the US/Israel strike.
Iran already has a Big Domestic Problem
At the end of December 2025, Iranians from across the country went to the streets to protest the harsh economic conditions. The protests spread to the country’s 31 provinces, even in areas where the regime normally enjoys strong support.
Iranians Want a Change of Leadership
Last year, as dissent continued to brew in Iran, government forces moved in to disperse the protestors forcefully. The government showed its determination to quell the protests with an iron hand, but the protestors’ demands escalated to the removal of the current supreme leader.
In January, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had ordered the country’s supreme security council to use whatever means they deemed fit to quell the riots. Hence, the government shut down the internet, and the security forces fired live bullets at protestors.
Meanwhile, Iran has reassured the world that President Masoud Pezeshkian is safe and has not been killed in today’s missile strikes. Apparently, he was a target of the attacks that began Saturday morning.