The Middle East conflict has spun out of control, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned on 25 March as he called on all parties to “stop climbing the escalation ladder and start climbing the diplomatic ladder.”
Much of the past week has been dominated by two competing narratives; whether US President Donald Trump is trying to engineer an offramp to exit the conflict, or is preparing a risky attempt to seize strategic islands in the Gulf in a bid to unlock the Strait of Hormuz. One route would result in an unsatisfactory peace agreement through which Iran’s strategic position in the region is strengthened (MEES, 26 March), the other would risk a major escalation during which Iran might inflict significant, lasting damage on energy infrastructure across the region. (CONTINUED - 1130 WORDS)
