Worsening war

Another high-profile assassination from a US-Isreal air strike has pushed the war on Iran towards further escalation. The killing of Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, is a blow to an administration that was trying to put up a brave show after the extermination of Supreme Leader Syed Ali Khamenei. Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani was also killed in the air strike.

The back-to-back political murders by the US-Israel alliance will surely fuel vengeance. The Islamic Republic has already declared avenging the unlawful exterminations in a "decisive and regrettable" way. What that means is anybody's guess as the Jewish state is already being treated with missile strikes and cluster bombings, and the Gulf countries are running helter-skelter, fearing a complete socio-economic collapse.

Larijani's exit will have its toll on Iran as he was one of the best military brains, and was close to the heart of the revolutionary establishment. He was an articulate negotiator, and had won laurels for his country. His recent visit to Islamabad wherein he offered a 'blank cheque' to Pakistan's defence and economy exhibits his diplomatic acumen. The fact that he was in the midst of things and was seen in a rally a week ago in Tehran testifies to his unflinching leadership. That ultimately proved lethal for him.

The war in its third week now has already pushed the global economy to the brink. Oil is being traded at around $120 a barrel, and the closure of the Straits of Hormuz has upped the ante. Likewise, the unrelenting retaliation from Iran on American business, especially on military installations, is not only threatening the US leadership but also its future prospects in the region. Iran has already called for shutting bases in the Gulf.

It's high time for Trump and Netanyahu to stop the aggression. American diplomacy has taken a battering as none of its allies are standing by it. While the US has already inflicted significant damage on Iran's leadership and military infrastructure, any further escalation serves no strategic purpose. It only risks engulfing the entire region into destruction beyond estimation.