Analysis: Back-channel efforts to ease US-Iran tensions are underway but face long odds

WASHINGTON - The United States and Iran have quietly exchanged a handful of official messages in recent weeks through third parties. But a diplomatic exit for the perilous escalation of hostilities between the two adversaries remains distant, officials and analysts here and abroad say.

Both President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterparts seem to have backed down, for now, from the cycle of military attack and retaliation. Trump on Wednesday said he was willing to talk to Tehran - but at the same time announced plans for additional economic sanctions, a move that probably prevents Iranian leaders from sitting down with U.S. officials.

Several back-channel efforts to ease the crisis and push Iran and the U.S. to talk to each other hit a flurried pace this week, with an