Middle East: Thank God, Iran has not renounced diplomacy

Mostafa Kamal Majumder.

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

As the world stands on edge, the conflict between Israel and Iran is no longer a bilateral clash—it is the mirror through which we witness the unraveling of a just international order. Shrouded in the shadow of superpower politics, and amplified by historical grievances, the war now imperils not only regional stability but the very principles of global governance.

At the heart of this crisis lies a paradox: the United States, long championed as the custodian of human rights, now stands accused of underwriting policies that have directly contributed to widespread suffering. Its unwavering military and financial support for Israel continues despite mounting evidence of disproportionate use of force, human rights violations, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure—not only in Gaza and the West Bank, but now in Iran as well.

Senator Bernie Sanders' criticism resounds globally: the U.S. is “losing the credibility of giving global leadership.” With Washington's veto at the UN Security Council in April 2024—blocking Palestine's bid for full UN membership despite a vote of 12 in favour to one against, with two abstentions —the democratic deficit in global diplomacy was laid bare. Over 140 countries recognize Palestine as a state, and yet one veto denies it full recognition, underscoring the fragility of a system dominated by great-power prerogatives.

This moral erosion traces back to 2018, when President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. That act dismantled a verifiable diplomatic framework that had held for years and shattered hopes of a peaceful, non-nuclear Middle East. It is disingenuous to place blame at Iran’s doorstep when it was the United States that turned its back on multilateral consensus.

Now, Israel’s preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure—a move widely condemned by China, Russia, and much of the Global South—have only sharpened global divisions. President Xi Jinping has warned that instability in the Middle East threatens peace worldwide, while Russia has denounced the attacks as unprovoked acts against a sovereign UN member state.

But perhaps most damning is what continues to unfold in Gaza. Fuel supplies have been entirely depleted. Hospitals are paralyzed, water systems have collapsed, and even meager aid convoys are unable to cross into the besieged strip. As UN officials warn, the blockade and Israel’s control of humanitarian aid hubs and wanton killing of aid seekers has become an “aid death trap.” The denial of fuel and aid has become not a side effect, but an intentional policy—weaponizing hunger and disease against civilians already shattered by war.

Despite these horrors, Iran has not only signaled its willingness to return to negotiations but actually sat with EU negotiators on Friday —so long as they are not held under duress. The opportunity for diplomacy remains—but it is rapidly narrowing.

It is time to confront an uncomfortable truth: Israel’s long-term security will not be found through militarized dominance of the Middle East or by painting regional nuclear power like Pakistan fanatic and existential threat. Rather, it lies in cultivating trust, mutual respect, and inclusivity. As South Africa transcended the apartheid divide through reconciliation—not retribution—Israel, too, must embrace Arab nations as equals and acknowledge Palestinians not as adversaries, but as rightful neighbors deserving dignity and statehood.

The hypocrisy of rejecting a two-state solution—especially as Palestinians continue to support it—cannot be shielded by military power alone. Israel’s leadership, particularly under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has rebuffed this option even during the current war. Yet the international consensus remains clear: statehood for Palestine is a moral imperative, not a political concession.

The global community must act—with urgency, unity, and unwavering moral clarity. If global leadership is to mean anything, it must rise above geopolitics and embody justice. Anything less is complicity in a tragedy of our own making.