Despite official efforts to project strength, however, the depth of the crisis for Iran is clear: Israel is crushing Tehran’s allies in the region, making it more vulnerable to attack. And while the United States has sought to limit the scope of Israel’s response, the strikes could destabilize Iran’s fragile economy, stir divisions among government opponents and undercut hopes that the country’s new, pro-reform president would usher in an era of engagement with the West.

“We have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a visit to Baghdad last week, part of a whirlwind diplomatic tour across the Middle East to shore up support ahead of the strikes. “We are not afraid of war, we are ready for war, but at the same time we don’t want war,” he told reporters at a news conference with his Iraqi counterpart.