Tom & Jerry in West Asia

Like the iconic cartoon mouse, Iran is using brinkmanship, asymmetrical military tactics against the US

We can add to this the fact that the US has not taken any visible retaliatory action, denying Tehran an opportunity for the showdown it seems to want. (Illustration: Suvajit Dey)

The seizure of an oil tanker bearing the British flag by the naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on July 21 is indicative of the ongoing tension between Iran and the US and its allies. Through this move, the Iranian authorities have shown once again that they are determined to emphasise Iran’s hegemonic role in the Middle East and to strongly underline Iran’s regional power in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. As tensions have risen between the US and Iran over recent months, the absence of a diplomatic back channel to defuse incidents and potential blow-ups is being felt. We can add to this the fact that the US has not taken any visible retaliatory action, denying Tehran an opportunity for the showdown it seems to want.