A brittle calm
EDITORIAL: The fragile truce between Iran and Israel, which took effect on June 24 soon after Tehran's retaliatory strikes on American bases in Qatar and Iraq in response to US attacks on its nuclear sites a day earlier seems to be holding so far despite reports of initial violations from both sides and lingering nervousness over the potential for renewed escalation. President Donald Trump's extraordinary outburst shortly after the agreement took effect, targeted not just Tehran, but also Tel Aviv for the ceasefire violations, a striking departure from the diplomatic restraint typically exercised by American leaders towards their closest Middle East ally, and this public chastisement appears to have had the desired effect as some stability seems to have been restored in the region.
As recent events show, both Washington and Tehran exercised calculated restraint, deliberately refraining from inflicting maximum damage by providing prior warnings before striking each other's assets. This was followed by Qatar playing a seminal role in offering a diplomatic off ramp that paved the way for de-escalation. All sides have now claimed victory: President Trump has doubled down on his assertion that Iran's nuclear capabilities have been completely destroyed, despite a Pentagon initial report indicating that the US strikes only delayed Tehran's nuclear programme by a few months. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declared a 'historic victory', claiming Iran's nuclear ambitions had been neutralised. Meanwhile, Iran framed the truce as one it had 'imposed on the enemy'.
Notwithstanding the claims of victory, the reality on the ground suggests a far more inconclusive outcome, with both Iran and Israel suffering substantial costs and achieving only limited gains. It is now of the utmost importance that the cessation of hostilities lasts and is not derailed through any miscalculation or reckless adventurism, particularly by Israel, which has a long history of scuttling peace processes and ceasefires on the most spurious of pretexts. That Israel initiated this unprovoked conflict while Iran and the US were engaged in nuclear negotiations lays bare Tel Aviv's strategic objective: to sabotage diplomacy and force Washington into a confrontation with Tehran. It is now incumbent upon the US to ensure that it reins in its long-standing ally's belligerent impulses and clearly communicates the consequences of escalation.
The fact remains that the real cost of instability and violence in the region is borne by hapless civilians in the form of lives lost, infrastructure obliterated, economies decimated and the climate of intense fear that lingers long after the bombs have ceased to fall. More than 600 Iranian civilians lost their lives in this needless war. Moreover, the global economy — still coming to terms with US trade tariffs and the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza — can scarcely withstand further hostilities in a region critical to the world's oil supplies. World powers must, therefore, ensure that this brittle peace holds, prioritising regional stability over geopolitical brinkmanship.
If there is one overarching lesson that has come to the fore in recent days, especially in the aftermath of the ceasefire, it is this: when the US chooses to act decisively, it possesses the means to curb Israel's reckless aggression. That it has consistently refused to use this influence to stop Israel's genocidal rampage in Gaza over the last 20 months, choosing instead to enable the slaughter through unchecked arms transfers and diplomatic support, lays bare the complicity of American power in this humanitarian catastrophe. How much longer will the US wait before using its considerable leverage to force an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and end the conflict that has had the world on edge since October 2023? Failure to do so ensures that it bears the responsibility of every subsequent death.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Trump teases Iran talks next week
US President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands June 25, 2025. Photo: Reuters President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would hold nuclear talks with Iran next week, teasing the possibility of a deal even after boasting that recent US strikes had crippled the Islamic republic's atomic programme. Trump credited the unprecedented US attacks with the "total obliteration" of Iran's nuclear capabilities, and said they had set the country's programme back "decades". But leaked US intelligence cast doubt on that assessment, saying the strikes had likely delayed Tehran by just a few months. Before the agreement of a ceasefire on Tuesday, Israel had pounded Iranian nuclear and military sites over the course of 12 days of war, while Iran launched waves of missiles at its regional arch foe in their deadliest-ever confrontation. The United States joined the fray in support of its ally, hitting two nuclear facilities with massive bunker-buster bombs over the weekend, while a guided missile from a submarine struck a third. "They're not going to be building bombs for a long time," said Trump, adding the strikes had set back the programme by "decades" and that the ceasefire that he declared was going "very well". Trump also mentioned his meeting with Field Marshal Asim Munir during his address, saying, "And in fact, I had a general who is really was very impressive, the general from Pakistan was in my office last week." He later told reporters that Israel and Iran were "both tired, exhausted", going on to say that talks were planned with Iran "next week". "We may sign an agreement. I don't know," he added. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had said on Tuesday his country was willing to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme, but that it would continue to "assert its legitimate rights" to the peaceful use of atomic energy. Israel's military said Wednesday it was "still early" to assess the damage the war caused to Iran's nuclear programme. "I believe we have delivered a significant hit to the nuclear programme, and I can also say that we have delayed it by several years," said Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei acknowledged to Al Jazeera that its "nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure". But US media on Tuesday cited people familiar with a Defense Intelligence Agency report as saying the American strikes did not fully eliminate Iran's centrifuges or enriched uranium stockpiles. The strikes sealed off entrances to some facilities without destroying underground buildings, according to the report. Israel had said its bombing campaign, which began on June 13, was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied. Its commandos had also operated inside Iran during the conflict, Israel's army chief publicly acknowledged for the first time on Wednesday. "The forces operated in secret deep within enemy territory and created operational freedom of action for us," chief of staff Eyal Zamir said in a televised address. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an address to the nation after the ceasefire, announced that "we have thwarted Iran's nuclear project". "And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt," he said. Iranian lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favour of suspending cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, state television reported. "The International Atomic Energy Agency, which refused to even marginally condemn the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, put its international credibility up for auction," parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, according to the broadcaster. The decision to suspend cooperation with the IAEA still requires the approval of the Guardian Council, a body empowered to vet legislation. In an interview with the Al Araby Al Jadeed news outlet, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran remained committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty but that it had failed to "protect us or our nuclear programme", adding without elaborating that Iran's approach towards the regime "will undergo changes". While Iran and Israel have been locked in a shadow war for decades, their 12-day conflict was by far the most destructive confrontation between them. Israeli strikes hit nuclear and military targets — killing scientists and senior military figures — as well as residential areas, prompting waves of Iranian missile fire on Israel. Tehran remained relatively quiet on Wednesday, with many shops still shuttered and only some restaurants open, though there was more life on the streets than during the height of the war. "Thank God, the situation has improved, the ceasefire has been reached, and people have returned to work and their lives," said one resident, a 39-year-old salesman who gave his name as Saeed. Others, however, were uncertain whether the peace would hold. "I really don't know... about the ceasefire but honestly, I don't think things will return to normal," said 28-year-old Amir. Some Israelis, meanwhile, welcomed the truce. "Finally, we can sleep peacefully. We feel better, less worried, for the kids, for the family. And I hope it stays that way," said Yossi Bin, a 45-year-old engineer in Tel Aviv. Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, according to the health ministry. Iran's attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to Israeli figures. AFP
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
NATO agrees massive spending hike
NATO countries agreed Wednesday to massively ramp up their defence spending to satisfy US President Donald Trump, who hailed it as a "monumental win" for America — and reaffirmed his country's commitment to protect its European allies. Trump cut a jubilant figure after NATO's 32 countries agreed to his headline target of five percent of GDP on defence spending following two days of talks in The Hague. Taking credit for a "fantastic" outcome that "no one really thought possible", Trump described the spending hike as "a monumental win for the United States". "They said you did it, sir," he told a news conference. "Well I don't know if I did it — but I think I did." In a reassuring move for European allies worried over the threat from Russia, Trump signed off on a final leaders' declaration confirming "our ironclad commitment" to NATO's collective defence pledge that an attack on one is an attack on all. NATO allies backed the spending increase to help counter a growing threat from Russia but also -- crucially -- to keep Trump engaged, with the US leader repeatedly suggesting Washington could withhold protection from lower-paying allies in Europe. The deal appeared — for now at least — to have laid those gripes to rest. The compromise hatched by NATO sees countries promise to dedicate 3.5 percent of GDP to core military spending by 2035, and a further 1.5 to broader security-related areas such as infrastructure. While signing off on the target on paper, Spain has said it thinks it can fulfil NATO's demands while spending less — earning a fresh rebuke Wednesday from Trump, who threatened to hit its trade interests in response. But the pledge endorsed in The Hague allows Trump to claim triumph, while in practice providing some wiggle room for cash-strapped governments in Europe. Diplomats said that behind closed doors Trump had given strong assurances of Washington's commitment as an ally and urged others to spend some of the new money on US weaponry. Everything was choreographed at the gathering in The Hague to keep the volatile US president on board: from chopping back the official part of the meeting to putting him up overnight in the royal palace. Underpinning the leaders' discussions on defence was Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, and in another sop to the demands of allies the United States allowed NATO to refer to the "long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security" in the communique. Though its language was watered down from previous years, the declaration also said allies would continue to support Ukraine "whose security contributes to ours" and could use money from the new spending pledge to fund military aid for Kyiv. Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky played a less central role here than at previous summits — with leaders wary of any bust-up after his infamous Oval Office shouting match with Trump.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Mamdani delivers a political earthquake in NYC mayor primary
Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary is a seismic wake-up call for a party establishment out of step with younger Americans and failing to counter Donald Trump, analysts say. The little-known state legislator, a proud "democratic socialist", is now favorite to win November's election and become a major voice in the battle between progressives and the establishment wing for the party's soul. Mamdani, just 33, was at a lowly one percent in the polls in February, but saw off three-term former New York governor Andrew Cuomo with a populist campaign that has Democrats nationwide taking notice ahead of next year's midterm elections. "The race shows Democratic voters are growing tired of the same old faces and they're willing to bet on newcomers," said political strategist Andrew Koneschusky, a top former Democratic Senate aide. "Looking ahead, we may see more competitive Democratic primaries and more upsets like this. That's bad news for establishment Democrats, but can be good for the party overall." Democrats have struggled to make their case as a credible alternative to Republicans since Kamala Harris's 2024 defeat to Trump — seen in part as repudiation of identity politics and so-called "woke" ideology. But the man who would be his city's first Muslim mayor embraced his identity, courting the one million New York members of his faith where they live — in the city's many mosques and community centers.
