Pakistan, Aug. 30 -- After six months of war, Iran's leadership has coalesced around a hard core of military generals and clerics long entrenched in the ruling theocracy. They are ready for a potentially long confrontation with the US and determined to prevent any unrest at home.

It's a far cry from US President Donald Trump's initial hopes of toppling the Islamic Republic and his subsequent claims that "regime change" had brought more compromising officials to the fore.

Iran's new leaders evince little faith in any agreement with Trump - after coming under attack twice while holding talks - and they may be bracing for another assault once the US replenishes its supplies of interceptors. They have also threatened to escalate the war as ...