Iran’s foreign policy has been designed to help the country withstand international pressure. Its regional outlook has been largely focused on the Middle East, where Iran seeks a role as a leading actor. Its mode of engagement is significantly shaped by antagonistic relations with the United States and Israel. As a result, the Iranian government has invested substantial resources in resisting American and Israeli initiatives in the respective region. After unsuccessful attempts at reconciling over the Iranian nuclear program, Tehran and Washington have doubled down on defiance and pressure, respectively. It has been imperative for the Iranian side that this confrontation does not escalate into a military offensive, and it had deterrence mechanisms in place for that purpose. However, post-2023 developments, and especially the June 2025 war, have rendered those mechanisms ineffective. The Islamic Republic faces a dilemma of diffusing tensions and remaining committed to the resistance against its adversaries.