"Blick": Can diplomacy prevent a major war?
Suddenly a victory for quiet diplomacy is possible: Iran has so far held back with its announced retaliatory strike against Israel. There is talk of successful diplomatic negotiations. In an article from Swiss newspaper "Blick", Dominique Ursprung from the ZHAW Center for Global Competitiveness reveals what is needed to achieve this goal.
Was it diplomacy, or are there other reasons for Iran's restraint? The fact is that in practically every conflict, diplomacy continues in the background. Dominique Ursprung (40), lecturer in International Relations at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), says: "Sometimes there is at least a partial solution to the most tense situations. For example, another prisoner exchange recently took place between Russia and Ukraine."
The diplomatic negotiations in the Middle East are being coordinated by the USA, Egypt and Qatar. "The first step is to build trust between the hostile parties and explore common interests," says Ursprung. Ideally, a deal would then be reached, which could be very narrow and limited or more comprehensive.