Iranian hardline leaders are escalating military capabilities to expand the war and increase the burden on the United States, sources told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

In interviews published by the WSJ on Sunday, the 16th, Iranian and Arab officials stated that hardliners in Tehran have spent the two months following the June memorandum of understanding signed with President Donald Trump preparing for a larger confrontation rather than relying on a diplomatic resolution.

According to the WSJ, these officials believed the agreement may have been a tactic by the U.S. and Israel to ease economic pressure and buy time before their next attack.

These preparations include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expanding its control over Iran’s regular military, appointing battle-hardened hardliners to key security positions, strengthening domestic counter-intelligence operations, and increasing the production of missiles and drones.

Tehran is also strengthening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz while expanding the scope of the confrontation toward the Red Sea.

According to the WSJ, Arab intelligence officials have intercepted communications between Iran and allied militias in Yemen and Iraq, suggesting a strategic shift aimed at expanding the war and forcing Washington to pay a higher price.

A Tehran-based defense analyst close to the Iranian government told the outlet, "The prevailing view within Iran is that the 'real war' has not yet begun."

“What we have witnessed so far is increasingly being interpreted through the lens of ‘salami tactics.’ This is a strategy of limited, incremental escalation designed to weaken the adversary’s strength before a full-scale confrontation.”

Iranian leadership is also increasingly discussing offensive operations within enemy territory.

This military buildup is taking place while President Trump’s efforts to secure a lasting agreement with Tehran remain at a stalemate.

The U.S. and Iran failed to reach a final deal on Monday, as the 60-day negotiation period set under the June agreement expired.

The agreement was intended to resume transit through the Strait of Hormuz and lay the groundwork for negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program. However, the talks collapsed as the Trump administration refused to make any concessions on the nuclear issue—its top priority—leaving only the issue of Strait of Hormuz transit, which was triggered by Iran after the conflict began, as the subject of negotiation.

As his administration resumes economic pressure on Tehran, President Trump made it clear on Truth Social early Monday morning, the 17th, that "The number one Goal, now as it has always been, is to ensure that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, in any way, shape, or form."

While every U.S. president who has dealt with Iran has maintained the principle of denuclearization, President Trump is the only one to have directly struck Iran's nuclear development facilities.

Meanwhile, Iran is attempting to leverage its dominance over the Strait of Hormuz, where commercial shipping traffic remains significantly lower than pre-war levels.

The expanding influence of the Revolutionary Guard may also make diplomatic negotiations more difficult.

According to independent analysis by the Institute for the Study of War, the faction of the IRGC that drives Iran’s decision-making is likely to reject any agreement that significantly weakens Tehran’s control over Hormuz.

According to Israeli officials cited by the WSJ, despite suffering massive damage from U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, Iran has been rebuilding its infrastructure and restoring access to missile bases faster than expected.

Alan Eyre, a former senior U.S. diplomat and Iran nuclear negotiator, told the WSJ that Tehran's stance is clear. "The default premise is war."

“Iran will remain in a war footing, preparing for follow-up attacks,” Eyre said.

NNP U.S. = Representative Reporter Hong Seong-gu / Special Dispatch to this paper NNP info@newsandpost.com