- The geopolitical and geostrategic situations unfolding in the global firmament over the last few years call for serious contemplation on the part of leadership, especially advanced countries and the United Nations, to usher in much-needed rationality in illogically waging no-yield wars. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has reached the point of no return, with both sides sticking to their avowed guns, resulting in the loss of scores of innocent lives. Despite the diverse international sanctions imposed on Russia has not stopped Moscow from continuing with the mayhem. Israel and Hamas have been at loggerheads for more than a year now, and the conflict has now spread far, with Israel and Iran getting into the war zone in the last few days.
PC: CNBC TV18
- West Asia is raging, and the global community will be deeply concerned with the fast-unfolding events with widespread ramifications for the whole universe becoming evident. Israel’s stunning strikes on Iran put West Asia back on the edge. These strikes were deep into Iran, hitting nuclear facilities and ballistic missile sites, and heads of its armed forces and IRGC were taken out. Tehran has followed up on its vow of a harsh response, but its options may be constrained strategically today. Israel already battered its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah last year and brought on the downfall of the pro-Tehran Assad regime in Syria. Plus, Israel claims that the latest strikes involved a covert Mossad cell that operated from within Iran to take out Iranian air defence and missile launchers.
PC: Sky News
- Needless to mention, Tehran’s counter-intelligence network has failed on multiple fronts. Meanwhile, Trump appears to be threatening more Israeli military action against Iran if Tehran doesn’t do a fresh deal with Washington on its nuclear programme. Iran has already walked out of the talks, as we read the article. Of course, the US’s position that Tehran abandons its nuclear programme hasn’t cut ice with the Iranian regime. But if the strikes were meant to be a harsh message to the Ayatollahs, they may end up having the opposite effect – Tehran could accelerate a nuclear weapons programme and quit the NPT. That in turn would increase tensions with the Gulf Arab states, and the Saudis may push their case for a nuclear programme.
PC: PwC
- Expect the impact of all this on energy prices to be acute. The price of crude has already leapt by 9% and could head further north. Supply chains may again take a hit given the important sea lane in the region. Not forgetting the undersea cables that could be targeted or weaponized. New Delhi will face some complications too. Iran provides our potential alternative trade route to Afghanistan via the Chabahar port. The same route links up to the International North-South Transport Corridor for Central Asia. But prolonged chaos in the region puts all of this under a cloud. An escalatory military conflict between Tel Aviv and Tehran is not in the world’s interest. The global leadership should step in now to stop the mindless war being waged forthwith.
