Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper recently criticized the current U.S. approach toward Iran, suggesting that the country has become "emboldened" by the ongoing regional conflict. According to Esper, the Iranian government has observed that President Trump’s large-scale threats regarding potential attacks on Tehran have not been followed by concrete military action.

Esper contends that Iranian officials have analyzed the situation and concluded that the U.S. is currently unwilling to execute the threats it issues. As a result, he claims that Iran is now taking more strategic positions in the region, operating under the assumption that American rhetoric does not necessarily precede military escalation. This assessment highlights a growing concern among some national security experts that the gap between U.S. warnings and U.S. actions is being exploited by regional adversaries to expand their influence and military posture without fear of immediate retaliation.