The abstract theory governing iterative control flow defines the mechanisms for terminating or skipping iterations within a loop construct. The `break` statement functions as an immediate termination operator that exits the current scope of iteration, while the `continue` statement acts as a skip operator that bypasses the remainder of the current iteration to proceed directly to the next cycle. These control structures operate within the domain of computer science and algorithm design, serving as fundamental rules for managing program state transitions and logical branching within iterative algorithms.
Prerequisite chain context: requires Conditional Logic Statements in Python.