Impending Catastrophe

Many had hoped that, even as the United States and its Western allies provided unwavering support to Israel in its ongoing campaign against Iran, Washington would avoid direct military intervention. That hope, however, now appears increasingly misplaced. A steady stream of signals suggests that U.S. involvement in a wider conflict-on behalf of the Israeli government-may be imminent. President Donald Trump has dramatically escalated his rhetoric, openly threatening Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and claiming that the U.S. and its allies possess complete air superiority over Iran. Most alarmingly, he has called for Iran's unconditional surrender.

While such statements might once have been dismissed as bluster, recent U.S. military deployments tell a more serious story. Nearly 30 air refuelling tankers have been dispatched toward Europe, while the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its strike group are en route to the Middle East. B-2 bombers, capable of delivering the kind of payloads needed to strike Iran's fortified bunkers, have been quietly stationed at Diego Garcia for months. Simultaneously, U.S. personnel are withdrawing from key bases and embassies across the region. These are unmistakable signs of war preparations.

The consequences of such an intervention would be catastrophic-not just for Iran, but for the region at large. Millions could be displaced or killed, and a civilisation that has endured for millennia-the Persian civilisation-risks being shattered by yet another war waged in the name of strategic dominance.

Pakistan must act. It must use its diplomatic channels and regional partnerships to de-escalate the situation and prevent any foreign intervention in Iran. More than that, Pakistan must prepare to assist Iran-diplomatically, logistically, and morally-in resisting this aggression.

A regime change in Tehran would not only destabilise Iran, it would imperil Pakistan's own security and strategic projects. It would jeopardise CPEC and China's broader plans for regional connectivity, threatening to cut off the corridor that bypasses the vulnerable Malacca Strait. In such a scenario, the entire regional balance would shift, to the benefit of Israel and the West and to the detriment of all independent Muslim and Asian powers.

The coming weeks may well define the future of West Asia-and perhaps the future of global geopolitics. It is imperative that voices of restraint and sovereignty prevail before it is too late.

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