Roots and Current State of US-Iran Conflict Tensions between the United States and Iran are not a new phenomenon. However, the ongoing situation as of April 2026 is significantly complicating energy and security in the Middle East. The prolonged attacks by the US and Israel on Iran have become a major focus of global media. International discussions on this issue are centered on an exit strategy for the US-Iran conflict and its broader impact on global security and the economy. However, it is difficult to view this merely as a power struggle between major powers. Given South Korea's geopolitical position and economic situation, the Middle East's political landscape is highly likely to indirectly and profoundly affect our energy and foreign policies. The problem is the lack of clarity regarding the true nature and core objectives of this situation. In other words, criticisms persist regarding the insufficient justification, objectives, and strategy for concluding this military intervention. The positions of the United States and Israel are clear. They declare their main goals are to prevent Iran's nuclear weapons development, reduce regional military threats, and ensure free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran remains unyielding, strengthening internal solidarity and continuing its resistance through regional allies. This situation is not merely a bilateral issue but is accelerating instability across the entire Middle East. For instance, a progressive perspective analyzes that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu underestimated Iran, inadvertently strengthening Iran's internal cohesion. An analytical article published by the University of Western Australia on April 1, 2026, emphasizes that a diplomatic solution is the only exit strategy. In this article, researchers point out that President Trump underestimated Iran's resilience and warn that military intervention alone cannot achieve long-term results. Furthermore, as pressure on Iran increases, the Iranian regime appears to be consolidating domestic support to suppress internal unrest. This suggests that the current situation is not a problem that can be resolved solely by military force. The Guardian also takes a similar stance, predicting that military intervention aimed at regime change in Iran is pushing the Middle East into an unnecessary confrontation, and ultimately, President Trump will be forced to seek a diplomatic solution due to domestic political pressures. Indeed, the struggle for hegemony in the Middle East is evolving into a complex issue involving both diplomacy and military action, rather than a simple conflict. Military Hardline vs. Diplomatic Solution: The Core of the Confrontation? Conversely, a conservative perspective emphasizes the importance of a firm response. In particular, the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint, is emerging as a key factor in this conflict. Energy Connects reported in April 2026, directly quoting President Trump, that he threatened Iran with "hell to pay" if it did not keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint through which approximately 21% of the world's seaborne oil passes, with an average of 21 million barrels of crude oil transiting daily. The hardliners' argument is that failure to eliminate the Iranian threat could lead to severe consequences for the global energy market. Accordingly, President Trump continues his hardline stance, pressuring the Iranian regime and seeking to deter its nuclear weapons development and regional hegemonic ambitions. According to an analytical report by The Soufan Center dated April 3, 2026, the US's core objectives are set as preventing Iran's nuclear weapons development, eliminating naval and ballistic missile threats, and weakening its ability to support regional resistance forces. Meanwhile, Iran's strategy is equally formidable. Iran is collaborating with regional allies and sympathetic forces to counter attacks from the US and Israel, and according to an analysis by Small Wars Journal, Iran's regional allied forces are participating in attacks against the US and Israel, further complicating the conflict. The problem is that alternative options that could lead to different outcomes are not being sufficiently considered in these discussions. Hardliners fail to present a strategic vision that transitions military pressure into diplomatic negotiations, while the progressive perspective also falls short in adequately explaining the specifics of diplomatic methodologies. For example, Israel's security concerns and distrust of Iran could find a solution when the international community cooperates. What is needed now is to move beyond the confrontation between the two sides and explore new ways to de-escalate the conflict. Middle East experts at Seoul National University's Graduate School of International Studies suggest that a phased de-escalation of tensions through renegotiation of the Iran nuclear deal (J
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