Iran’s calculations as US escalation looms: Trust, midterms, Hormuz

As regional powers step up diplomatic efforts to prevent another escalation in the eight-month United States-Israel war on Iran, Tehran is showing little sign of backing down from its red lines.The announcement by China on Tuesday that Beijing will be sending an envoy to relevant countries in the region soon to help avoid another round of escalation highlights the growing urgency of finding a peaceful solution to a conflict that has disrupted global energy markets and spilled over across the region.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Iran’s authorities take ‘self-sacrifice’ mobilisation campaign nationwidelist 2 of 3US military says it helped Gulf states export 1.5 billion barrels of oillist 3 of 3Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan agree to continue talks for peaceend of listOn Monday, senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye – the three nations which signed the Mecca defence pact in August – met with high-ranking Iranian officials, promising to continue discussions related to “peace and security” in the region.However, Tehran appears determined not to budge on its demands, particularly as it holds considerable leverage over the future of maritime tr...