The attempt on the life of the Saudi ambassador to Washington has brought Iranian-US relations to an all-time low. However, this event did not occur in a vacuum: Iranian provocations directed at the United States have increased recently, raising the possibility of a confrontation, even if limited, between the two nations. Over the past few months, Shiite militias supported by Iran have killed a large number of American soldiers in Iraq, as if to suggest that US troops will be withdrawing from Iraq in the coming months under fire. Such an impression would almost certainly serve Iranian propaganda on Iran’s decisive role in cleansing the region of America’s presence.
