Mohieddin Ghunaim
\nIn a scene that recalls some of the most tense moments in modern history, signs of confrontation are escalating between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other. This escalation is unfolding amid unprecedented media rhetoric, mutual accusations, and political \u062e\u0637\u0627\u0628 that has gone beyond deterrence to explicit threats of war and regime change.
\nThe discussion is no longer about \u201cdiplomatic disagreements\u201d or \u201cexchanged deterrent messages.\u201d Instead, direct threats have become the dominant headline. Washington and Tel Aviv openly speak of the necessity of \u201cstriking Iran\u201d and preventing it from acquiring instruments of power. At times, the rhetoric goes as far as calling for the \u201coverthrow of the Iranian regime,\u201d as if regime change has become a legitimate objective in the lexicon of international politics.
\nDespite repeated talk of negotiations and diplomatic tracks, the lack of trust between the parties renders these efforts closer to crisis management than genuine conflict resolution. Iran views the United States as lacking credibility, citing previous experiences and unilateral withdrawals from international agreements. Meanwhile, Washington insists that Tehran represents a direct threat to regional stability.
\nIn this charged atmosphere, the media has become a parallel battlefield: fiery statements, security leaks, exaggerations of military capabilities, and displays of force through military exercises and naval movements. Each side seeks to impose a deterrence equation, yet the thin line between deterrence and explosion has become more fragile than ever.
\nThe most dangerous aspect of this situation is not merely the possibility of a military strike, but the nature of international alignments that could transform any confrontation into a broad regional war\u2014if not the spark of a larger global conflict. Major powers such as Russia, China, and North Korea have, to varying degrees, declared their support for Iran in the face of Western pressure. This overlap between regional calculations and global rivalries makes any military strike fraught with unpredictable risks.
\nIgniting the Iranian front would not remain confined within its geographical borders. Networks of influence, alliances, and military balances would open multiple arenas\u2014from the Gulf to the Eastern Mediterranean, and perhaps beyond.
\nAny war among these parties would place the entire Middle East in the eye of the storm. Gulf states would find themselves on the frontline. Energy markets would face severe disruption, and maritime navigation would be threatened\u2014especially if the Strait of Hormuz, the vital artery through which a significant portion of global oil exports passes, were to be closed.
\nEven a partial closure of the strait would mean a dramatic surge in oil prices, disruption of supply chains, and deep tremors in the global economy. Europe would suffer a new energy crisis. Asia would face instability in its imports. Global financial markets would enter a phase of panic and uncertainty.
\nAre we on the verge of a third world war?
\nFor some, such talk may seem exaggerated. Yet a close reading of today\u2019s map of alliances and polarizations suggests that the world stands atop a volcano. A single miscalculation or an uncalculated strike could draw major powers into direct or indirect engagement, opening the door to a confrontation far wider than a regional conflict.
\nInsisting on a military solution under the banner of \u201celiminating the threat\u201d or \u201ctoppling the regime\u201d often leads only to prolonged chaos. The experiences of recent decades testify that wars rarely end at their initial borders; instead, they generate new crises and reshape maps upon the ruins of stability.
\nThe region today cannot withstand another war. Its peoples are exhausted by conflict. Its economies suffer from chronic crises. Its security structures are fragile in the face of any military earthquake. Continuing to beat the drums of war will not deliver a decisive victory for any party; rather, it will plunge all into a dark tunnel from which escape may prove difficult.
\nWhat the world needs is not more aircraft carriers, but genuine political will\u2014one that restores the value of diplomacy based on mutual respect rather than imposed dictates. Wars may begin with a decision, but they do not end by the will of one side alone.
\nThe drums of war are beating\u2026 but history teaches us that those who ignite the fire may not be able to extinguish it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mohieddin Ghunaim In a scene that recalls some of the most tense moments in modern history, signs of confrontation are escalating between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other. This escalation is unfolding amid unprecedented media rhetoric, mutual accusations, and political \u062e\u0637\u0627\u0628 that has gone beyond deterrence to explicit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":449574,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[656],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-449659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-news-in-english"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG-20171024-WA0000-750x430-3-12.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=449659"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449659\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":449660,"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449659\/revisions\/449660"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/449574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=449659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=449659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mennews.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=449659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}