WANA (May 21) – While some observers describe the current situation between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other as “neither war nor peace,” assessments suggest that the present reality resembles a prolonged and grinding state of conflict more than this traditional definition. It is a condition marked by ambiguity, suspension, and the absence of any clear horizon for ending tensions.

 

The concept of “neither war nor peace” largely belonged to earlier decades, before direct military confrontation between Iran and Israel. Despite persistent tensions during that period, the current level of uncertainty and instability across political, security, and economic spheres was far less pronounced.

 

Today, however, continuing military and security pressure, reciprocal threats, and the halt in negotiations have pushed the region into a situation where there are neither signs of lasting peace nor any indication that the war has truly ended.

 

Peace is not merely the temporary silence of artillery and bombs. A naval blockade enforced through military coercion goes beyond a simple state of tension and constitutes part of the war itself. For this reason, repeatedly describing the current situation as “neither war nor peace” no longer appears fully consistent with reality.

A billboard with a graphic design about the Strait of Hormuz on a building in Tehran, Iran, May 6, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Within this context, reports indicate that Tehran is currently reviewing and preparing a response to the proposal sent by Washington. According to these reports, consultations in the Iranian capital are continuing over the general framework of a potential agreement, certain details, and confidence-building measures aimed at ensuring the continuation of negotiations.

 

The reports add that the U.S. proposal has somewhat reduced existing gaps, though further progress would require Washington to abandon the threat of military action.

 

Meanwhile, the repeated visits of Mohsin Naqvi to Tehran have also drawn attention. Pakistan’s interior minister has traveled to Iran twice in less than a week and held meetings with senior Iranian officials.

 

Some reports interpret these visits as part of Islamabad’s efforts to ease tensions and help narrow differences between Tehran and Washington.

 

On the other side, recent remarks by Donald Trump have added further complexity to the situation. On the evening of May 18, 2026, Trump said that an attack allegedly planned against Iran for the following day had been halted at the request of the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates in order to allow more time for what he described as “serious negotiations.”

 

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At the same time, however, Trump stressed that the option of a large-scale attack remains on the table, underscoring that the White House continues to pursue both military pressure and diplomacy simultaneously.

 

At this stage, the region appears to be standing at a crossroads where neither a full return to negotiations is guaranteed nor the possibility of broader conflict can be ruled out.

 

The prolonged suspension between war and diplomacy is gradually turning into a chronic crisis — one whose political and economic erosion may ultimately prove even more costly than war itself. Under such circumstances, every delay in finding a clear path forward risks pushing the Middle East closer to the brink of an uncontrollable confrontation.