Blow to Trump

The US Congress has castigated Donald Trump for his war-mongering in the Middle East – in what amounts of a serious political setback. The vote in favour of blocking the American president's executive powers to go to war is a strategic blow too. Washington, nonetheless, is desperate for a deal with Tehran, but the Islamic republic seems unmoved and is rather dictating terms to the world's sole superpower. Tehran's preconditions for a deal include peace in Lebanon and closure of US bases in the Gulf. That is an upfront position which has literally undermined the understanding reached between the two arch foes at the time of ceasefire. The fact that Republicans are also getting bizarre with the brinkmanship in vogue and are distancing themselves just a couple of months before the mid-term vote in the US is fraught with serious consequences for the White House incumbent.

The resumption of skirmishes in the Middle East with Iranian drones and missiles making their way into the US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and other neighbouring states is a point of concern. The reported attack over Kuwait airport is bound to cause escalation, as it has apparently come as a tit-for-tat to the US strikes on Iranian energy and nuclear installations over the last few days. Moreover, the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz is leading to a nail-biter as hopes for withdrawal of US naval vessels have taken a backseat. Last but not least, Iran's supreme leader Syed Mojtaba Khamenei has raised the stakes by stating that the US domination in the region has outlived its utility, and it's high time a new regional and global order was ushered in.

The saving grace, nevertheless, is that Islamabad's mediation moves still find a solid constituency in both Tehran and Washington. This is where synergies must be multiplied in order to strike a convenient equation of serenity. The least that is desired is to give a shut-up call to Israel to desist from any misadventure over Lebanon and Gaza. At the same time, the US should also retreat from its maximalist position.