The war on Iran is likely to intensify in the coming weeks rather than move towards a peace deal, according to two former diplomats who were involved in earlier negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian diplomat, said Iran’s leaders do not believe US claims that the conflict is driven by concerns over nuclear weapons rather than oil.
Speaking alongside former US diplomat Alan Eyre, Mousavian argued that the conflict was unlikely to reach either a settlement or a “permanent stalemate” in the near future.
Mr Eyre said Donald Trump’s administration preferred quick victories to diplomacy. He argued that countries in the region should take more responsibility, with “US buy-in, not US leadership”.
