Gerald Feierstein said Donald Trump did want a war with Iran but was being pushed by Tehran’s hardline regime. Mr Feierstein, who is now senior vice president at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, said the US was still looking for “ways to get the Iranians back to the negotiating table”.
He said Mr Trump understood Americans did not want another military conflict in the Middle East.
Tensions in the region have soared once again after a wave of drone attacks on key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia last weekend. Iran has rejected US claims it was behind the strikes.
Mr Feierstein said: “Clearly, the Iranians look inclined to test the Trump administration, to call Donald Trump’s bluff, if you will, to see if he really has the will to really go all the way. So far, their bets have paid off.”
He continued: “Whether you’re talking about the tanker attacks or previous pipeline attacks or now this, they continue to raise the ante, they raise the bar, almost daring Donald Trump to respond.
“The Trump administration would not want to do things that would take the opportunity or the possibility of a negotiation away completely.”
Mr Feierstein said Saudi Arabia would not want to be drawn into a war either and has been reluctant to point fingers at Iran as it “will be very difficult to walk away from possible retaliation” if they do.
READ MORE: Israel elections:Iran braced for further clashes as Netanyahu on brink
The attacks on the oil plants of state-owned Saudi Aramco — on the world’s largest crude processing facility in Abqaiq, and Saudi Arabia’s second-largest oilfield in Khurais — caused global oil prices to surge amid fears of supply disruption.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Saudi Arabia today for to discuss the attacks with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
Mr Pompeo accused Iran of launching the drone attacks but Tehran has rejected the allegations.
Saudi Arabia, which has supported tougher US sanctions on Iran, said an initial investigation showed the strikes were carried out with Iranian weapons.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have been behind a series of attacks on Saudi pipelines, tankers and other infrastructure in the past few years amid rising tension between Iran and the US and allies such as Saudi Arabia.
Iran has been blamed for recent attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Washington has also blamed Tehran for the downing of a military drone.