Spin doctors on both sides have deflated their immediate mutual threats. But it is too soon to breathe a sigh of relief.
Peace is not breaking out in the Middle East, and not only because of intense violence in Gaza. All the reasons for tension and conflict between Iran and Israel are still there. The focus on so-called “kinetic” warfare is distracting us from the economic war that preceded the missile strikes between Iran and Israel this month, and is likely to intensify now.
Ever since 1979, the Islamic Republic has faced US sanctions of varying intensity, made sharper by American suspicions of its nuclear projects. Over the weekend, Donald Trump’s Republicans and Joe Biden’s Democrats in the House agreed on even tighter – potentially military – sanctions on Iran.
Of course, hardships are suffered by ordinary Iranians, unable to access everything from medicines patented in the US to Boeing spare parts for old planes, but the Islamic regime has kept itself afloat and its military-industrial projects funded. It would love to see sanctions dropped – but not at the price of reversing its agenda, which includes aid to Israel’s neighbourly enemies, Hamas and Hezbollah.
この記事は The Independent の April 22, 2024 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は The Independent の April 22, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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