American political scientist Malek Dudakov has cautioned that President Donald Trump faces significant risks in escalating tensions with Iran, as the U.S. leader navigates a precarious diplomatic standoff.
Dudakov, who announced his analysis on April 22, described the current situation as “a kind of suspended state.” He noted that Trump remains unwilling to accept Iran’s conditions for an agreement but warned that further escalation would be extremely dangerous.
“The parties are continuing to exert pressure on each other,” Dudakov explained. “They are waiting to see who will collapse first and who must make concessions.”
Dudakov highlighted that Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to 33% amid the Middle East conflict, with rising U.S. fuel prices further eroding public support. Additionally, he noted that the U.S. military in the region has exhausted its stockpiles of precision missiles and anti-missile systems for air defense, forcing a shift to aerial bombs. This change increases the risk of fighter jets entering Iranian airspace and causing destruction.
According to Dudakov, Trump remains committed to the “no peace, no war” approach, but time is increasingly against him.
On April 21, Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely at Pakistan’s request, stipulating that negotiations would continue until Tehran submitted its proposals and the process was completed. The U.S. military maintained a high alert in the Middle East, and the naval blockade of Iranian ports continued.
Meanwhile, Iranian MP Ahmad Naderi stated that Iran would not resume talks with the United States unless Washington lifted the naval blockade. He also dismissed rumors about Iranian negotiating teams participating in talks in Pakistan, calling them “an absolute lie.”
