We welcome the two-week pause in the war between Iran and the US, which came at the 11th hour. The ceasefire indeed brings a great sense of relief not just for the people of Iran, who have been enduring persistent bombing for over a month, but also for the people of Bangladesh and the world at large. As part of the ceasefire deal, Iran has agreed to the safe transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The reaction to this development is evident in international oil prices, which dropped below $100 per barrel for the first time in weeks.

For most of us, this war, imposed on Iran by the US and Israel, has been incomprehensible. It has broken all international rules and norms and lacks a clear purpose, further dramatised by US President Donald Trump’s social media rhetoric. In his latest post, Trump even threatened to destroy the entire Iranian civilisation, only 12 hours before the deadline he had set for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. How could a head of state express the intent to destroy a civilisation! This is unheard of and unacceptable, and must be condemned worldwide.

The ceasefire has created a window to resolve the crisis through discussion. In this regard, we would like to compliment Pakistan for being able to convince the US president and the Iranian leadership, as both sides reposed their confidence in Pakistan as a mediator. However, the issue of what started the war in the first place, and Israel’s role in it, must be raised. Based on facts, we know that Israel’s intention from the very beginning has been to drag the US into the war by pushing the narrative that the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader would collapse the country’s theocratic regime. Israel went about implementing that illegal act of killing another country’s leader, with President Trump believing the Israeli narrative, while the world watched in silence. Despite all this, Iran proved its resilience despite relentless bombing by the US and Israel, with the latter continuing its assassination of the Iranian leadership.

With time, Israel’s greater goal of expanding its territory at the cost of its neighbours will become clear. Even as the world welcomes this ceasefire, Israel has launched new strikes on Lebanon, claiming the truce does not include Lebanon. It remains to be seen how Israel will react if peace is brokered between the US and Iran. While we await a positive outcome, the world and, more importantly, the American people should wake up to Israel’s intention of derailing the negotiation. They must decide whether Israel’s intention would ultimately lead to a peaceful world or a conflict-ridden one. Finally, we wish the negotiation hosted by Pakistan, set to take place on Friday, is pursued with in-depth understanding of how this war has caused instability and chaos around the world.