US strikes on Iran mark a dangerous turning point for the region and the world: Here's why
NEW DELHI: The American airstrikes targeting Natanz, Isfahan, and the fortified Fordow facility in Iran represent a dramatic escalation in the region's tensions. This could reshape the geopolitical landscape of West Asia, with wide-ranging consequences for diplomacy, regional stability, global oil markets, and India's energy security.
What Are Iran's Options Now?
Iran has several possible responses, each fraught with risk:
Diplomatic De-escalation
Iran could return to negotiations, potentially under the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which the Trump administration previously abandoned. However, this route faces resistance from Iran's hardliners, who view the U.S. strikes as a humiliation and a betrayal of diplomacy. Tehran could also withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Closure of the Strait of Hormuz
Iran's most potent non-military leverage is the Strait of Hormuz—a narrow maritime chokepoint through which over 20 million barrels of oil and a large volume of liquefied natural gas (LNG) pass daily. Iranian parliament has backed the proposal to close the strait while the final decision is yet to be made by Iran's top security body. The closure of Hormuz could trigger an oil price surge and widespread economic ripple effects.
But this move would also harm Iran. Its own oil exports pass through Hormuz, and a closure would likely provoke military responses from Gulf Arab states and lead to further Western sanctions. Still, the threat alone could cause panic in energy markets.
Military Counterstrike
A more dangerous path is retaliation. Iran's military and political leadership have warned of striking U.S. military bases and naval assets in the region. Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of the hardline Kayhan newspaper, stated ominously: 'It is now our turn.'
Iran possesses short-range ballistic missiles, drones, and naval assets that could be used in asymmetric attacks. The U.S., anticipating a reaction, has dispersed its forces and bolstered regional air defenses.
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