As Israel continues its fierce airstrikes, Tehran has told Arab officials that it would be happy to return to the negotiating table if the United States does not get involved in the conflict, the officials said. Arab officials have also conveyed messages to Israel that both sides have an interest in keeping the conflict from escalating.

On the other hand, because Israeli planes can fly freely over the Iranian capital and the damage from Iranian counterattacks is minimal, Israeli leaders have little interest in stopping the attacks until they have destroyed Iran's nuclear weapons infrastructure and further weakened the theocratic government's authority, writes The Wall Street Journal.

A ceasefire would allow Iran to regroup, and it would also potentially increase international pressure on Israel. It would also be in Tehran's best interest to avoid intervention by the United States, which has powerful bunker-busting bombs.

Tehran appears to believe that Israel cannot afford to fight a war of attrition and will sooner or later have to seek a diplomatic solution, Arab diplomats who have spoken to the Iranians said. Iranian officials said they believe Israel has no clear strategy for ending the conflict and would need U.S. help to inflict significant damage on targets such as the Ford uranium enrichment complex located under a mountain.

“The Iranians know that the US is helping Israel defend itself, and they are confident that the US is also helping with logistics,” the Arab official said. “But they want guarantees that the US will not be involved in the attacks.”

Iran has told Arab officials that it may accelerate its nuclear weapons program and expand military action if it is not possible to continue negotiations with the United States.

There are no signs yet that Iran is ready to make new concessions in nuclear talks, Arab mediators said. Diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration have failed, with Iran refusing to halt uranium enrichment. The talks finally broke down after Israel launched attacks last week.

Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman are urging the United States to pressure Israel to cease fire, Arab officials added. They warned that the conflict could escalate if Israel and Iran do not return to the negotiating table, threatening nearby energy resources and potentially causing serious repercussions for oil markets and the global economy.