THE postponement of talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland has cast a cloud on the future of the nascent agreement to end the war in Iran. After signing of the initial agreement by the two sides in France, there were questions about the proposed talks to complete the peace deal when Israel was kept out of the process. Despite being the instigator and an equal party in the war, the sidelining of Israel by US President Mr. Donald Trump while signing the concessional peace agreement was seen as a major flaw in achieving fruition of the peace deal. Things panned out exactly as feared by the world when Israel continued attacks on Hezbollah militant groups in Lebanon thus jeopardising the peace agreement between the US and Iran. Though Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire after a deadly escalation, there is still no guarantee of their word. Already seething in anger due to the snub by Mr. Trump and the broadside launched by his deputy Mr. J D Vance after the initial agreement with Iran, Israel is set to play spoilsport in the process. There is a sense of tremendous hurt in Tel Aviv at this point of time after the heavy concessions granted by Mr. Trump to the new regime in Iran in the peace deal. The concessions have not only handed Iran a huge economic advantage and leeway to maintain weapons stockpile but also have threatened Israel’s security as the immediate neighbour having a long-standing conflict with the Muslim country. For the US, the path ahead looks rocky as it will have to take Israel Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu into confidence and convince him to stop military aggression against Iran and its neighbourhood. The stance adopted by the Trump administration is shorn of any diplomatic nicety as was reflected in Mr. Vance’s statement while warning Israel to keep its “only powerful ally” in good humour.

 

The posturing is unlikely to be taken positively by Mr. Netanyahu as military action against Iran and all militant groups backed by Tehran is a tool for his political survival. After the long-drawn war with Hamas in the Gaza region, Mr. Netanyahu faced severe pressure from his own party and allies but the Iran case is different. It is a sworn-enemy of Israel and there is no second thought among the Israelis about fulfilling the aim of complete denuclearisation of Iran. Mr. Netanyahu might take a step back for the time being but it will only push the US-Iran peace deal on a more fragile ground. The presence of Israeli troops in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire is proof enough of the future plans of Tel Aviv. It is incumbent upon the United State now to see through all smokescreens put up either by Iran or Israel. Mr. Trump was a reluctant entrant into the war at the behest of Mr. Netanyahu.

 

That the US administration was against the ill-advised, ill-time and ill-thought war could be seen in the resignations of high-profile officials and military generals close to Mr. Trump. There is a wave of anger over the massive losses to the State exchequer and loss of thousands of lives and equipment in the war that had no permanent end goal. Even the hyper-loyal MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters of Mr. Trump are divided over the war as it disrupted the US economy and affected fuel prices. With a series of setbacks at home and abroad, it is now the duty of the US President to make the peace deal work. The world has had enough of this unnecessary conflict.