On Oct. 15, Iran issued a stinging public ultimatum to its archenemy Israel: Halt your onslaught on Gaza or we¡¯ll be forced to take action, its foreign minister warned.

Only hours later, the country¡¯s U.N. mission softened the hawkish tone, assuring the world that its armed forces wouldn¡¯t intervene in the conflict unless Israel attacked Iranian interests or citizens.

Iran, a longtime backer of Gaza¡¯s rulers Hamas, finds itself in a quandary as it tries to manage the spiraling crisis, according to nine Iranian officials with direct knowledge of the thinking within the clerical establishment.