The US has long-standing, documented plans to provoke a war with Iran via its “Israeli” proxies designed to deflect the consequences away from Washington and toward “Israel”.
The US also seeks an opportunity to wade into a conflict after it begins, but appear committed to peace beforehand, and only reluctantly enter into an "unprovoked" war - just as the US has done with Ukraine vis-a-vis Russia.
I feel like Iran doesn't really want a war. They have to retaliate, they can't turn the other cheek, but they're trying to avoid anything REALLY destructive to themselves like an all-out war.
That's my impression as well. The problem is that Israel really wants war at any cost right now, and they see that the US admin is very weak and unable to reign them in. As Israel continues to do provocations, Iran has no choice but to start responding otherwise they start looking like a paper tiger. Hence why we just saw a big missile salvo lobbed at Israel. It's hard to see how a war can be avoided when one side is doing everything they can to instigate it.
Agreed, Iran doesn't have a choice- much like Russia, also. And sooner or later (by the US' own talking heads' words, likely sooner) they will force the war they want with China also.
The rest of the world doesn't have a choice, arguably (accurately IMO) they never did, but now it is more evident than ever before. I can only hope they meet every escalation from here on out with equal and greater force, and end the threat of the imperialists decisively when and if the time comes no matter what is required- even as someone living in the cores, IMO it has to happen or humanity is doomed, likely to extinction but also to many things far worse than it, such that when it comes it may well be a mercy.