West Asia War Escalates: Expert Warns 'Pandora's Box' Open, Iran Resilient, Trump's Goals Unclear

• Dr. Comfort Ero of ICG warns West Asia conflict has opened 'Pandora's Box,' with hinges ripped off, indicating a prolonged war.
• Iran, under Mojtaba Khamenei, shows resilience and readiness for a 'long war,' surprising US expectations of collapse after joint strikes.
• US President Donald Trump's war goals are unpredictable, shifting from 'regime change' to 'unconditional surrender,' causing uncertainty.
• Rising energy prices and domestic political pressure could force Trump to end the war, as seen with the pragmatic lifting of Russian oil sanctions.
• Gulf states face a severe 'trust deficit' with Iran, US, and Israel, halting normalization efforts and reassessing security guarantees.