VARUN KURUP

That Pakistan has got a regional edge over India as a mediator in the US - Iran war is misreading the situation. Pakistan has a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Crown Prince has hardened his position on Iran and wants the US to continue its military operations in order to remove Iran as a future threat to the region. He foresees Iran’s regional hegemony if Iran’s power is not decimated. Pakistan is fearful that the Saudi Crown Prince may invoke the defence agreement and embroil Pakistan in the conflict with Iran. Saudi experts have begun invoking this agreement and even Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella. Pakistan therefore has a powerful incentive to avoid the worst and propose mediation to appear as a honest broker and claim that it is not taking sides . Pakistan’s mediation offer is in some ways a diplomat act of desperation. Siding with Saudi Arabia would mean siding with the US and Israel against Iran which would have major domestic consequences too. Let us therefore not lower our own dignity by arguing we have lost regional standing by the US countenancing Pakistani mediation over India’s. Other than this, Trump will not give any credit to a mediator as this would imply he could not handle the situation on his own and on his terms. His ego is unmanageable. Moreover, if we offered mediation with Iran we risk opening the door for him to offer to mediate between India and Pakistan. Let sleeping dogs lie.

I think regime change is needed in America, not in Iran

Bhagwat Gita and personal finance are two things I feel must be included in our school's academic curriculum. What else?