Small Wars Journal

Immediate Crisis with Iran Abates, but Potential for Conflict Persists

Sun, 06/23/2019 - 1:06am

Immediate Crisis with Iran Abates, but Potential for Conflict Persists by John Hudson and Anne Gearan – Washington Post

President Trump sought to lower tensions with Iran on Saturday, extending an olive branch to “start all over” with nuclear talks and even thanking Tehran for its “wise” decision not to shoot down a U.S. military plane with personnel on board.

Trump’s refusal to move forward Thursday with a military strike for the downing of a drone in the Persian Gulf averted a potentially devastating new crisis in the Middle East as Iran and its proxy forces stood ready to retaliate against U.S. targets across the region.

But while the specter of an imminent attack has faded, the prospect for renewed conflict remains as the underlying problems between the two countries continue to fester…

Read on.