From Conflict to Compromise: The US–Iran Deal and Beyond

The utter chaos and disorder ensuing from the Iran-US-Israel war have given a tailwind to the discussion on the “new world order.” By definition and design, it is also seen as a conspiracy theory, one that argues a shadowy elite is attempting to establish a totalitarian global government. At Harvard, however, the “new world order” is generally defined as the post–Cold War shift from a bipolar system to a new, often volatile, international power structure. The contemporary world is far more complex. The emerging order is, at best, a disorder. Historically, the term has been used by figures like Churchill and Bush to describe new periods in history following major conflicts such as World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. The U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict has thrown a spanner into the functional global construct of the last nearly eight decades. Many believe a new world order was in the making for some time now, and this war may have accelerated it. West Asia in particular, and the global order in general, are in a state of transition. Unprecedented firsts are happening; despite the asymmetry of power, Iran stood unshaken against the joint hard power of Israel and the U.S. US President Donald Trump and his team may want to paint the historic deal with Iran as a “no-big-deal.” It is a big deal. It is definitely a big deal, both for Israel and Iran. Israel has lost out big time. The regression in its status in the region and globally is phenomenal. Israel to date desires to sabotage the deal through any and every means. The latest was the attack on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, on the day President Trump said a deal to end the US-Israel war with Iran could be signed. Israel needs a reality check. Not only this war of choice, but the objectives it chose to achieve were deeply flawed. What Israel was allowed to do in Gaza led to this. The MOU reached through tireless efforts by Pakistan, Qatar, and the quiet backing of China is a landmark achievement. However, a parallel deb