United States President Donald Trump is facing a critical decision between taking “a diplomatic off ramp” or “a war of choice”, Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, has told CNN.

Geranmayeh added that if Trump decides to strike its nuclear facilities, “Iran will view this as a declaration of war. Once you open up this Pandora’s box, we have no idea where things go,” Geranmayeh said, adding that the conflict would “most likely consume the rest of President Trump’s presidency”.

For Iran, she added, “Surrender is not an option. It also knows it is not going to win militarily, but it’s trying to ensure that there are only losers here,” Geranmayeh said.