Analysts Doubt Escalated U.S. Airstrikes on Iran Will Yield Concessions

After a ceasefire collapsed on July 8, 2026, the U.S. intensified airstrikes on Iran through mid-July. Analysts doubt escalation will pressure Tehran into concessions, citing Iran's pattern of absorbing pressure and retaliating asymmetrically. Trump's March 6 demand for "unconditional surrender" removed face-saving diplomatic off-ramps that coercion theory considers essential for compelling an adversary to de-escalate.