China, Russia and France have reached out to Iran to stop the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. However, Tehran has made clear conditions for the ceasefire – no new military aggression against them.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that several countries have approached him about the possibility of a ceasefire. However, Iran wants guarantees that military attacks against them will cease as a first condition for moving forward with the talks.
Tensions have been high since the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top military officials on February 28. In response, Iran launched counterattacks targeting US installations in Israel as well as in various locations in the Middle East.
As a result of these counterattacks, the conflict quickly took on a regional dimension and began to affect multiple countries in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said at a press conference in Florida on Tuesday that the ongoing conflict over Iran could end soon. According to him, the war is likely to end within a few days.
The conflict has also had an impact on global energy markets. According to the Rapidan Energy Group, a US-based consultancy, the ongoing situation has disrupted about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply. Analysts say this is almost double the disruptions during the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956-57.
According to analysts, despite the strengthening of diplomatic efforts regarding the ceasefire, the positions of both sides are still rigid, leaving it uncertain which way the situation will turn.
Source: Al Jazeera.