With a shaky ceasefire in place between the US, Israel, and Iran, experts believe the conflict is headed for a frozen war. A frozen conflict is an unresolved war that continues at a low level below the threshold of full-scale combat.
There are three reasons why this conflict is likely to end in a frozen war, not a comprehensive peace agreement. Firstly, US President Donald Trump's approach to foreign policy has shown that he does not treat ceasefires as pauses for negotiations to agree on substantive political issues.
Secondly, asymmetric wars are difficult to resolve due to the huge difference in military strength between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other.
Thirdly, there has been no focus on the more complex issues at the root of the conflict, including Iran's nuclear program.
Experts warn that a frozen conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran will create long-term instability in the Middle East, including a possible arms race and more flare-ups of violence.
