Keep Calm & Carry On: Trump's Call For Peace Halts US-Iran Face-Off But It May Not Be Over Yet

Amid growing tensions between the United States and Iran -- following the targeted killing of the latter's top general, Qassem Soleimani and Iran¡¯s direct assault on America by firing more than a dozen missiles at two installations in Iraq -- diplomats and leaders across the globe, heaved a sigh of relief as both sides are now trying to de-escalate the prevailing tension.

US and Iran have stepped back from the brink of a possible war as the President of the United States, Donald Trump signalled in his address to the nation that he would not retaliate militarily for Iran's missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops.

No Serious Damage

Trump maintained that no one was harmed in the strikes, but U.S. forces in the region remained on high alert. Iran officials had earlier claimed that at least 80 ¡°American terrorists¡± were killed.

Avoiding a knee-jerk reaction, Trump chose to wisely wait for several hours before addressing the nation. His intention seemed to deescalate the crisis that has caused worry among diplomatic circles across the world.

The crisis spiralled after Trump authorised the targeted killing last week of Iran's top general, Qassem Soleimani. Iran responded with its most direct assault on America since the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, firing more than a dozen missiles at two installations in Iraq.

The United States will immediately impose additional sanctions on the Iranian regime. pic.twitter.com/Y47COReXr2

¡ª The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 8, 2020

Trump contended that Soleimani had blood on his hands, of ¡°American and Iranian people¡±.

Even so, Trump's takeaway was that ¡°Iran appears to be standing down,¡± which, he said, was a good thing for both countries, and ¡°a very good thing for the world.¡±

Calm Before The Storm?

Despite such conciliatory talk, news agency Associated Press reported that the region remained on edge, and American troops including a quick-reaction force dispatched over the weekend, were on high alert.

But there still seems no obvious path to diplomatic engagement, as Trump has pledged to add to his ¡°maximum pressure¡± campaign of economic sanctions. He said the new, unspecified sanctions would remain in place ¡°until Iran changes its behaviour.¡±

All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.

¡ª Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2020

Iran's Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khamenei said the overnight strike was not necessarily the totality of Iran's response.

¡°Last night they (America) received a slap,'' Khamenei said. ¡°These military actions are not sufficient (for revenge). What is important is that the corrupt presence of America in this region comes to an end.''

Trump, facing perhaps the biggest test of his presidency, credited the minimized damage to an early warning system ¡°that worked very well¡± and said Americans should be ¡°extremely grateful and happy¡± with the outcome.

The Iranians did *not* miss. These buildings were hit quite precisely. pic.twitter.com/y2MZyT187R

¡ª Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) January 8, 2020

The strikes had pushed Tehran and Washington perilously close to all-out conflict and left the world waiting to see whether the American president would respond with more military force. Trump, in his nine-minute, televised address, spoke of a robust U.S. military with missiles that are ¡°big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast.¡±

But then he carefully added: ¡°We do not want to use it.¡±

Both Sides Signal Peace

For days, Iran had been promising to respond forcefully to Soleimani's killing, but its limited strike on two bases -- one in the northern Iraqi city in Irbil and the other at Ain al-Asad in western Iraq -- appeared to signal that it, too, was uninterested in a wider clash with the US.

Iran¡¯s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Iran had ¡°concluded proportionate measures in self-defense.¡±

URGENT: UK foreign secretary: 'We want to see Iran return to full compliance with nuclear deal' https://t.co/ItqWQIOngl pic.twitter.com/wDoHMjpswF

¡ª Sputnik (@SputnikInt) January 9, 2020

Trump, who is facing reelection in November, campaigned for president on a promise to extract the United States from ¡°endless wars.¡±

He emphasised once again in his address to the nation that the United States was ¡°ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.¡± That marked a sharp change in tone from his warning a day earlier that ¡°if Iran does anything that they shouldn't be doing, they're going to be suffering the consequences, and very strongly.¡±

Meanwhile, members of the US Congress were briefed on the Iran situation in closed-door sessions on Capitol Hill, where Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with the administration's justifications for the drone strike on Soleimani.

The Need To Exercise Restraint

As it is, no country can afford to live in isolation in contemporary times when geopolitics is affected by several factors, including those of globalisation and conflicts. An all-out US-Iran war would wreak havoc not just in the regions concerned but its repercussions would be felt in other countries too.

Whether by choice, pressure, fear or favour, countries big and small, powerful and lesser powerful, would find themselves entangled in the imbroglio. Nobody emerges victorious out of a war, lives are lost on both sides. Soldiers who lose their lives, are heavily injured or scarred for life are actually fighting opponents who are as patriotic as themselves. They represent their nations, and fight to safeguard its sovereignty and interests.

On the ground level, the poor and helpless citizens suffer the most. As missiles and bombs go off, shrieks and cries are subdued, never to be heard again. Numerous lives are lost, families destroyed and happy cities turn into the debris of devastation.

Sights of Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria are still fresh in human memory and despite best efforts by pro-people groups, NGOs, UN bodies and several concerned citizens, we have still not been able to bring them back on track. Many lives have been lost and those who survived have been scarred for life.

Keep Calm And Talk It Out

Powerful leaders too do not want war but on most occasions, they resort to it as the last thing they can do to safeguard their interests. Understandably, there are huge differences between the US and Iran right now but killing top commanders or firing missiles are not necessarily the best options.

As the U.S. carries out more saber rattling with Iran, a quick reminder.

Iran is not a threat to the U.S.

Ditto for Iraq, North Korea, China, Russia, Syria, Venezuela.

Our real enemy is here.

Our real enemy is the Military Industrial Complex that owns our government. #Peace pic.twitter.com/oLzsJ88HSg

¡ª Steven Cotterill (@socialiststeve6) January 9, 2020

Diplomacy has helped solve numerous crises. The United States, being the world¡¯s oldest democracy and arguably the most powerful nation on the planet, must exercise its power with utmost responsibility. Iran, on the other hand, should not exploit the fact that the US doesn¡¯t want to indulge in a war.

The whole world needs to watch this video
SAY NO TO WAR.?#IranvsUSA #IranAttacks pic.twitter.com/qT2yi2yHfQ

¡ª Africa ? Watch (@AreForeigners) January 9, 2020

Interestingly, President Trump was at the forefront in calling for maximum restraint between India and Pakistan last year when the two countries were on the brink of a possible face-off. On several occasions, he offered to mediate and though that never came into being -- for obvious reasons of sovereignty -- the US and Iran can sit together along with mediators or representatives of the United Nations to deescalate the tension.