The war on Iran has stopped as diplomacy takes the front seat. For the Americans except Trump and his loyalists in the White House, the invasion on Iran brought them serious embarrassment. The US and Iran have been discussing to find a reasonable solution to a foolish war that helped no one except the greedy military industrial complex. The talks have been arranged, discussed and mediated by Qatar and Pakistan finding the middle path.  Trump has finally understood that Iran is not Venezuela. Trump’s outreach and doublespeak might go hand in hand but he has understood that Iranians have exposed their hard power, ill-strategy and narrow world view. The war was never logical, Iranians never threatened the US except the perception built around Iran’s nuclear status and its impact. The war also reminded the world, the  influence of Israel on the US foreign policy in the Middle East.

The Israeli government, particularly the reign of Netanyahu and his mad game, has been trying to convince the past US governments to find a military solution. Trump's arrival in the White House was Netanyahu’s cherished dream. First, shifting the US embassy to Jerusalem, then unilateral withdrawal from the UN sanctioned JCPOA agreement in 2018 and then last year 12 days war as a sign of warning and finally invading Iran. The common thread was undermining international law, hard power centric foreign policy and allowing Israel to shape their strategic thinking against Iran but it didn’t work out. Perhaps Trump would have learnt some lessons from previous presidents that overt and covert operations seldom work. 

Mediation often fails to asymmetrical power structures and always misused in the absence of trust and respect among powers. Intentions are always unclearing in ana anarchic order, and if there is an elephant in the room (Israel) then chances are high that the Iran war might find a new front. The US didn’t achieve anything except killing........

© The Friday Times