PRESIDENT of the United States Donald Trump posted on social media on Monday that he was holding off on a planned military attack on Iran scheduled for Tuesday, while efforts continue to reach a deal, adding that the United States was ready to resume attacking if one is not reached.
Earlier, he warned Iran to move quickly towards a peace agreement, saying “there won’t be anything left of them” if it failed to do so. Apart from other things, Tehran has demanded a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon before any broader peace agreement with Trump, who has been frustrated by Tehran’s refusal to accept a deal on his terms.
The decision of the United States to refrain from a planned attack on Iran is a welcome development but directions of President Trump to his armed forces to remain ready to resume fighting if talks did not produce the intended results demonstrate how precarious is the situation in the Middle-East. The situation becomes all the more alarming as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates came under drone attacks raising the tension further in the volatile region. It is, however, noteworthy that despite provocations by Iran and its allied groups, the Gulf countries do not want resumption of attacks on Iran and instead want to give the peace process a move towards positive directions. This is evident from the fact that the US President changed the decision to resume war at the instance of regional countries. Trump posted on Truth Social “I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to hold off on our planned military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow, in that serious negotiations are now taking place and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America as well as all countries in the Middle East and beyond”. He also claimed that the deal will include ‘No nuclear weapons for Iran’. It may be mentioned that the Saudi Crown Prince and Emir of Qatar have all along been against military conflict in the region and they did not change their peace posture despite repeated drone and missiles attacks including those on oil installations. However, the inclusion of President of the UAE in the list of leaders who urged President Trump not to go for renewed fighting is a significant development in view of earlier media reports that the country wants Iran to be penalized for its actions. This means there is growing opposition to the war and the United States will not find takers of any future adventure in the region. The US has also credited Pakistan for its decision as Islamabad is making frantic efforts to help bridge differences between the two sides, which seems to be a Herculean task given the stated positions of both the United States and Iran. The US wants total surrender of Iran on the issue of nuclear programme and material whereas leadership in Tehran considers it a sovereign right to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Similarly, the US wants pre-war status of navigation in the strategically located Hormuz but Iran is firm to maintain its full control of the Strait. It has gone to the extent of formalizing a new framework for the channel. The solution lies in the framework suggested by Pakistan – exercise maximum restraint, fulfill obligations under international law and international humanitarian law and avoid any actions that could further escalate tensions with consequences extending far beyond the region. Dialogue and diplomacy, consistent with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, remain the only viable path toward lasting peace, stability and de-escalation in the region.
