The diplomacy surrounding the Iran war is intensifying. CBS News's live coverage reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told President Trump that we have a job to finish on Iran, and that Russia's foreign minister is visiting Tehran for the first time since the United States and Israel launched their war with Iran.
The two items point in different directions. Netanyahu's comment suggests that Israel wants the military campaign to continue until its objectives are achieved, which may include reducing Iran's capabilities. The Russian visit suggests that Moscow wants to play a role as a mediator or supporter, and earlier this month, President Putin met Iran's president and said he would do everything possible to end the war, according to Euronews.
The timing is notable. Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of Israel's 27 October election, the Houthis have attacked Saudi airports, and the Strait of Hormuz remains dangerous, with Iran saying that its offer and conditions to reopen it still stand. Oil prices have already risen on fears of supply disruption. I have only seen the live-update headlines, so I cannot describe what exactly was said in the Trump-Netanyahu conversation.
For readers, the main point is that there are several tracks at once: military action, regional proxies, economic pressure and diplomacy involving major powers. Each can influence the others, and statements are often designed for domestic audiences as well as foreign ones. Watch for the outcome of the Russian foreign minister's meetings in Tehran, any change in U.S. policy and developments in the Strait of Hormuz. Civilians across the region continue to bear the human cost of the conflict.
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