US strike on Iran could draw in China, Russia, experts warn

The possible US strike on Iran has become a hot topic worldwide, dominating headlines and global discussions

Trump’s recent remarks have indicated that the United States is thinking seriously about joining Israel’s conflict with Iran. 

The Israel-Iran conflict, which is entering its first week now, has witnessed some intense exchanges of missiles, which have killed many innocent civilians on both sides. 

But a possible US strike can change the game completely, as it may widen the conflict, with experts even expecting countries like China or Russia to react. 

So far, Donald Trump has been ambiguous about his plans, as on Tuesday he claimed that he knew where Iran’s supreme leader is hiding and demanded his ‘unconditional surrender.’

“I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do. I can tell you this, Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate. And I said, Why didn’t you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction,” the US President told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

US strike may force China, Russia to show teeth

As the situation remains sensitive, Invezz news spoke with a few experts to gauge what a possible US strike on Iran could mean for geopolitics. 

Professor Harsh V Pant, Vice President – Studies and Foreign Policy at Observer Research Foundation, said that a US strike will complicate things further as Iran has already warned about retaliation. 

However, he sounded more concerned about how the US strike may widen the conflict may even draw China and Russia into the game. 

“A US strike on Iran will force the Islamic nation to take strong countermeasures, and there will be widening of the conflict in some fundamental ways.”

The expert further added that so far, the conflict is regional, but the involvement of the United States can spiral it into global tensions. 

“With the US entering into it, other powers like China and Russia might also be willing to play their hands in the conflict.” 

Professor Pant mentioned that choking off the critical Strait of Hormuz can be part of Iran’s countermeasures, apart from an attack on US personnel and military assets in the Middle East.   

US is already involved in Israel-Iran conflict

Dr. Martand Jha, Doctoral Fellow at Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University hinted that the US strikes are much closer than expected. 

He said that the Donald Trump administration is already involved in the conflict, and as the war continues, the Middle East region is losing its stability. 

“The involvement of the US in the Israel-Iran conflict is already there for everyone to see. The alliance between the US and Israel has a chequered legacy to it,” Dr. Martand said. 

Dr. Martand added that the US is deeply involved in the conflict, as any great power would be. While emphasizing on the stakes of the conflict, the expert warned about the ripple effects of continuing instability in the Middle East. 

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