Beyond the brink: Why deterrence has broken down in West Asia

This war is not the result of some ancient hatred or a case of being trapped by one’s allies. At root, it is a symptom of a larger problem: The failure of a mechanism of controlled hostility (File Photo) 5 min readJul 27, 2026 03:35 PM IST First published on: Jul 27, 2026 at 03:34 PM IST The US and Iran have been at odds since the 1979 Revolution, portraying each other as agents of violence or destruction. But this kind of mutual “othering” has not led to war; for all the posturing, there has been deterrence, and a good deal of indirect negotiation, conducted with the necessary restraint. Identity is part of why the rivalry has held on, but it does not explain why things come to a head in direct military terms at some junctures and not at others. For decades, Washington has worked to stymi