US and Iran locked in unresolved Persian Gulf conflict, analyst says

Mark Owen announced the appointment of Barbara Slavin as a Distinguished Fellow at the Simpson Center, noting her expertise on the protracted conflict in the Persian Gulf. Slavin characterizes the war as a mutually damaging stalemate in which neither Washington nor Tehran can secure a politically viable exit, emphasizing that “there are no winners in this war.” She argues that the dispute has evolved into a problem of face‑saving as much as military strategy, forcing both sides to confront mounting domestic pressures.

According to Slavin, the United States is contending with rising economic costs and electoral liabilities, while Iran faces severe shortages, inflation, growing domestic dissent, and intensified repression. In her assessment, neither side can plausibly claim success, underscoring the entrenched nature of the conflict and the challenges any future resolution must address. The Simpson Center will incorporate her analysis into its broader research on Middle‑East security and diplomatic pathways.