U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Iran has grown increasingly confident in its military capabilities through the ongoing conflict with the United States.

While the United States is reportedly seeking an exit strategy from the conflict with Iran, Tehran is showing the resolve to prolong the war for several months and continue putting pressure on Washington.

According to the U.S. daily The New York Times (NYT) on the 4th local time, U.S. intelligence agencies evaluated in a recent report that Iran has bolstered its confidence in its military power through the war.

The assessment suggests that Iran has clearly identified its military strengths during the conflict and has consequently solidified its belief that it can adequately withstand a long-term war with the United States.

Representative Jason Crow (D-CO), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, told the NYT, "Iran is currently looking at its situation quite optimistically," adding, "They have suffered significant damage, but such damage was inherent to their regime from the beginning."

He added, "Iran is pursuing a much longer-term strategy than before."

In fact, Iran's governing foundation is evaluated to have grown even firmer through this war.

The leadership, which had been fractured under the long-standing theocratic system, has strengthened its cohesion centered around hardliners, while internal opposition factions have been marginalized.

With its missile and drone forces still maintaining a substantial level of capability, control over the Strait of Hormuz has established itself as a powerful negotiating card for Iran.

According to officials briefed by U.S. intelligence, Iran believes that it is not easy for the U.S. military to launch large-scale additional attacks.

The assessment is that the possibility of large-scale strikes against Iran has also diminished as U.S. stockpiles of missiles and munitions have decreased.

There is also an analysis that Iran intends to drag out the war at least until the U.S. midterm elections in November to increase the political burden on U.S. President Donald Trump.

Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) told the NYT, "Iran currently believes they have maximum leverage," asking, "From their perspective, why wouldn't they continue to pressure the President?"

In fact, the possibility has also been raised that Iran's hardliner leadership may be considering a substantial level of further escalation.

Similar to how Iran attacked a U.S. military base in the Middle East last month, killing three Americans, and struck vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, similar forms of provocation could follow within the next few weeks.

While the Trump administration maintains its stance of exerting economic pressure on Iran to extract concessions, officials who reviewed the intelligence report stated that U.S. economic sanctions are likely to fuel tensions rather than alleviate them in the short term.