October 12, 2024 Iran Steps Up Diplomatic Efforts Over Tensions with Israel After recent rocket attacks on Israel that were laid at the doorsteps of Iranian-backed forces in Gaza and Lebanon, this Asian country has increased its diplomatic efforts ahead of expected military retaliation by Tel Aviv. As Iran seeks to avoid a broader regional conflict, officials said Iranian officials are negotiating with regional allies and major world powers, such as Russia and China, to tone down tensions.

Tehran denies the missile attacks, but Israel assigns them to Iran and is threatening to retaliate vigorously. Diplomatic relations are tense and fears do exist of a global conflict using the proxy forces in the Middle East.

Iran’s Diplomatic Maneuvers
During the last few days Iran has reached out to all major players in the region – Qatar, Lebanon, Iraq – to put things right and try to freeze the tension. And Iran’s foreign ministry has appealed for an emergency UN Security Council session to discuss the matter as an act of destabilization by an Israeli operation that is most likely underway.

Simultaneously, the diplomats in Tehran have been engaging in backroom dealing to garner an endorsement from the two other critical players: Moscow and Beijing. These are both powers that have a stake in maintaining a stable situation for them and, therefore, would be loath to see the spread of a larger war into neighboring states and around the world further compromising energy supplies-an area of concern to international players.

Israeli Position
The Israeli government has threatened to strike back sharply, with the Israeli military beginning to mobilize. Israeli Prime Minister held consultations with the military chiefs of staff on the means of response, with the inclusion of airstrikes on Iranian-related targets in Syria and Lebanon.

Iran directly bears responsibility for arming and backing terror cells such as Hezbollah and Hamas, which have recently intensified their rocket attacks on Israeli targets. Israel has also turned to the US and European friends to act in concert with them and have emphasized the international legitimacy of the operation.
Escalation Risk
The situation is pretty unstable and open to a full regional war. Iran’s allies include Hezbollah in Lebanon and many militias in Iraq and Syria, and they have threatened to come to Tehran’s side if one’s ally goes to war with Iran. A wider war could devastate not just the countries on the direct battlefield but the entire Middle East as a whole.

This is an issue being watched anxiously by the international community with diplomats urging restraint. The United Nations has asked both parties to avoid actions that may push the matter into military solutions. The United States and European countries are said to be working in behind-the-scenes channels to diffuse the situation through diplomatic channels.

As Iran humbles itself through urgent diplomacy to prevent an Israeli military response, the Middle East stands at a tense and uncertain moment. Both sides are mobilizing, and the potential for a broader conflict remains quite high. The coming days will reveal whether diplomacy can avert war or whether this region will plunge into further chaos.

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