Avoid any further escalation at all costs!

The killing of top Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani by a US drone strike, followed by another strike on a convoy in Iraq, have pushed the world to the brink of a major disaster. Tension between the two countries, which was already high, has risen further in recent weeks. The recent US drone attack just added to that tension and increased chances of another war breaking out in the region—which could potentially morph into a World War.

The Iranian leadership has already promised to retaliate. The US is all set to send up to 3,500 more troops to the Middle East. And the war of words between the leaderships of the two countries continues to intensify. While it is possible on the one hand that a large part of what is being said is posturing by top officials and military leaders of the two countries, when countries continually threaten each other, things often escalate faster and in a way few initially expect.

Iran has seen itself being portrayed as a great villain by the US and its allies for decades now. And the Trump administration has ratcheted up all sorts of pressure on Iran since 2016—cancelling the Iran nuclear deal, slapping fresh sanctions on Iran, etc. Therefore, it is only natural for the Iranian leadership to feel nervous seeing the world's only superpower—with a record of disastrous interventions in the Middle East—breathing this heavily down its neck. Not only does this fail to tone down tension, but it also makes it more likely for both sides to mistakenly walk into a disastrous conflict.

After the killing of Soleimani, president Trump said that the US is not looking to start a war, nor does it seek a regime change in Iran. However, given that the US has failed to keep its previous promises to Iran, such reassurances may not be enough to walk back on the volatile situation the two countries are now tangled in.

This is where the international community and the UN Security Council must urgently step in before things deteriorate any further. Any conflict between the US and Iran will not only be devastating for their respective people and the Middle East in general, but also for the rest of the world. Thus, it is crucial that both sides exercise restraint and engage each other in dialogue to find an end to this dangerous standoff.