The world is holding its breath for a possible Israeli response to Iran’s large-scale drone and robot strikes. The situation risks degenerating into a major regional war, and the latest statement by Israeli President Isaac Herzog – that the attack was a declaration of war – raises the stakes even further.
Diplomacy is in full swing around the world. According to the New York Times, US President Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu overnight and ruled out an attack on Iran.
– Biden absolutely does not want a war in his lap before the presidential election. And there is no indication that Trump wants it either, says Middle East expert and political scientist Anders Persson in Efter Fem.
Can cool down the situation themselves
And more closely, Sweden’s foreign minister Tobias Billström (M) is going to London tomorrow to meet the UK’s foreign minister David Cameron. This week, the EU will hold summit meetings to prevent the conflict from spreading.
– That is the last thing the Middle East and the world need in this situation, says Foreign Minister Tobias Billström on TV4 Efter Fem.
But both TV4’s foreign policy commentator Rolf Porseryd and Middle East expert Anders Persson believe that the parties can cool down the situation themselves.
Today 18:32
The Iran expert: “The point of the attack was not to trigger an Israeli escalation”
“This round is over”
All sides see themselves as winners. Iran launched a spectacular attack, Israel stopped it and the US managed to avert a major war.
– It is quite unusual for everyone to declare victory, and it is a practical solution that I think could mean that this round is over, says Anders Persson, Middle East expert.
– It could be that you stay there and try to cool down the situation, which the outside world largely wants, says Rolf Porseryd.
At the same time, the long-term conflict is far from resolved.
– The last shot has by no means been fired between Israel and Iran, and the big challenge is the lack of long-term solutions, says Anders Persson.
According to Tobias Billström, it is precisely long-term solutions that should be discussed at this week’s summits.
– The most important thing is to find a way back to a peace process in the Middle East, with the aim of being able to return to a discussion about the two-state solution. One state for Israelis and one for Palestinians, he says.