Former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned that the United States and Iran have fallen into a deadlock with no exit and that the war could drag on for more than six months, becoming another "endless war." Panetta served as secretary of defense and director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) under the Barack Obama administration.
According to the Guardian, a British daily, on the 6th (local time), Panetta said, "It is clear that the United States and Iran are stuck in a terrible stalemate, with few options to end the war," adding, "There is a strong possibility this war will continue for another six months without resolution."
Panetta predicted that the Iran war could become another failed war in the Middle East after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said it could harden into a long war with no clear breakthrough for an end to the war or for negotiations.
Panetta analyzed that President Trump has three options. Acknowledge failure and withdraw; maintain the current stalemate in which the United States and Iran trade retaliatory strikes; or have the United States seize the Strait of Hormuz to eliminate Iran's influence.
However, he saw little chance that President Trump would acknowledge failure and step aside. He also warned that if the current back-and-forth continues, it could lead to a prolonged Middle East war that all parties feared.
Panetta also analyzed in March that President Trump was caught in a dilemma over whether to escalate the war to remove Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz or to accept assessments of failure, declare victory, and withdraw.
He said President Trump is still "absolutely" in the same position and "has boxed himself in." He added, "President Trump must either take the steps necessary to open the strait, or continue acting as if he is winning in a stalemate when, in reality, he is not."
When asked whether the United States can win the war, he answered, "Only if the U.S. position changes dramatically and it is made clear that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is the top priority."
He also criticized internal turmoil at the U.S. Department of Defense. Panetta said, "The U.S. military is going to war at a time when the Department of Defense and the chain of command are in extreme disarray, as if there is no one in charge," adding, "Hostile nations, including Iran, see a weakness in America's ability to project real military power."
He added, "What is most concerning is that this sends a message to major adversaries such as China, Russia, North Korea, terrorist groups, and Iran that the United States is weak." The U.S. Department of Defense countered that the claim the organization is in chaos is baseless, saying it is carrying out its mission normally under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership.
Panetta assessed that President Trump lost credibility by repeatedly making false claims that an end-of-war negotiation was imminent or that the Strait of Hormuz was open. He added, "The real question is whether he will make decisions to deliver tangible results," saying, "Right now, President Trump not only lacks credibility but is in the worst position, where any threat he makes is completely ignored."