On the 27th day of the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel, the main developments remain focused on the possibility of negotiations for a ceasefire or suspension of attacks, even though the public tone of statements has changed compared to the last few days.
On Thursday (26), Iran showed itself more open than before to negotiate, although it continues to reject the initial proposal presented by the United States, which Tehran calls “unilateral and unfair”.
In turn, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, hardened his discourse and now stated that “not sure” whether he is willing to strike a deal with Iran, despite continuing to say that he desires a “quick end” to the war.
The Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, stated that his country is acting as a channel between Washington and Tehran. “Indirect negotiations are taking place between the parties in conflict,” the minister said.
“Total Force”
While there is no concrete progress in the talks, Washington extended for another 10 days the truce on attacks to Iranian energy infrastructure, in an attempt to keep the space for dialogue open.
The United States also confirmed the death of Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy of Iran, in an Israeli airstrike.
Trump also again criticized NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) for not getting involved in the conflict.
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the country will continue attacking Iran “with full force.”
In parallel, Israel is expanding its incursion into southern Lebanon, which led Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to warn the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, about the risk of annexation of Lebanese territory.
“More alive than ever”
On the Iranian side, the Speaker of Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated that the extremist group Hezbollah, targeted by Israeli attacks, is “more alive than ever” and is “the pride of Islam.”
The Iranian embassy in Spain also stated that Tehran would be receptive to any request from Madrid related to the Strait of Hormuz. Spain does not have a large fleet of ships, but Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has harshly criticized the attacks on Iran since the outset of the conflict.
Numbers
- At least 1,900 people have died in Iran since the war began, according to Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian to Al Jazeera;
- 18 people died in Israel;
- 13 American soldiers were killed;
- In Lebanon, the death toll stands at 1,116.
“Economic catastrophe”
The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, stated that the consequences of the war in Iran could be as severe as those of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to him, the conflict is causing significant damage to international logistics, production and supply chains, in addition to strongly pressuring companies in hydrocarbons, metals and fertilizers.
The German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, described the conflict in the Middle East as an “economic catastrophe” and reinforced that the country does not intend to become militarily involved.
Analysts also point out that damages to liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure in Qatar, as well as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have an impact on the global scenario, casting doubt on purchases by Asian countries, which may be forced to ration energy because they cannot bear the high costs.
Analysts also emphasize that the damage to LNG infrastructure in Qatar and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz affect the global energy picture. Asian countries may be forced to ration consumption, as they have not been able to absorb the higher prices.
