War Endgame Complicated as Iran and Israel Resist De‑Escalation

Amid a rapidly escalating regional conflict and an uncertain leadership transition in Tehran, Iran appears to be holding its internal ranks together even as external pressures mount. In a conversation with NDTV, James M. Dorsey. S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies noted that the Islamic Republic has managed to maintain regime cohesion despite unanswered questions surrounding the condition of its new Supreme Leader following the February 28 attack that killed his predecessor. As tensions surge between Iran, the United States, and Israel, the broader geopolitical landscape has shifted into a phase where neither side can afford to retreat — and where Iran's definition of victory is tied not to battlefield gains but to the survival of its governing system itself.