Has the U.S. strategy changed? "It is focusing on Iran's internal rifts rather than an attack"

【The Financial News New York=Reporter Lee Byung-chul】 The United States appears to have extended the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely because of both Iran's internal divisions and the burden of using force. Rather than signaling a retreat in the standoff, the move is being read as a strategic decision to watch how the power struggle inside Iran's leadership unfolds before deciding whether military action is still necessary. Negative public opinion in the United States also appears to have weighed on the decision.
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As the first ceasefire deadline between the United States and Iran approached, President Donald John Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that "the Iranian government is, as expected, seriously divided, and at the request of Pakistan's Chief of the Army Staff Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the negotiating team was asked to halt attacks until it could prepare a unified proposal." He added, "The ceasefire will be extended until the proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded."
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Trump spent the day in meetings with White House aides and repeatedly pressed them on whether Iran could actually carry out any final agreement. The aides reportedly told him that Iran does not have a single power structure and that hard-liners oppose negotiations. As a result, questions remained over whether any deal could be implemented, and the United States decided to keep sanctions in place while waiting for a concrete proposal from Iran.
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Iran's internal conflict was especially clear in its response to the Strait of Hormuz. On the 17th, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared the strait fully open, but the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reversed that position a day later and moved to reimpose the blockade.
Views also diverged over a second round of talks. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, said that "there are no negotiations under threat," while foreign media outlets cited unnamed Iranian sources as saying preparations for talks were under way.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S. think tank, said tensions are intensifying between IRGC Commander Ahmad Vahidi and Speaker Ghalibaf. The Economist assessed that Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been chosen as supreme leader, has not yet fully consolidated power. As a result, even if Iran enters negotiations, internal divisions could make it difficult to reach an agreement, and any deal could remain fragile after it is signed. Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group (ICG) told AP that "the Iranian system is built around multiple overlapping centers of power, and factionalism is an inherent feature of the regime."
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The burden of military action is also seen as a reason for extending the ceasefire. The WSJ reported that Trump appeared wary of negative public opinion about resuming strikes on Iran during discussions with aides. In a poll by AP and the University of Chicago, Trump's approval rating stood at 33%, down 5 percentage points from a month earlier. His approval on handling living costs was just 23%, indicating strong dissatisfaction with economic conditions.
Under these circumstances, any additional attack on Iran's energy facilities could widen the war and push up global oil prices. The WSJ said distrust and differences between the two sides remain deep, but mediators and negotiators are also discussing the possibility of compromise on key issues such as the nuclear program. Still, progress in talks is likely to remain limited unless Iran first settles on a unified internal position.
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pride@fnnews.com Reporter Lee Byung-chul Reporter