Washington, DC – The liberal, pro-Israel organization J Street in the United States warned that the likelihood of a second war between Iran and Israel is now very high. It indicated that the next round would be more intense due to preparations by both sides.
The organization said in a report published Monday, November 3, that there was no formal ceasefire agreement after the 12-day war. The continuation of the current calm “depends largely on whether US President Donald Trump can deter Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from launching a new military operation. This is an approach that may only be effective in the short term.”
The report noted that Israeli officials describe the recent war as “the first war with Iran.” They anticipate that the next round will focus on Iran’s missile program and the structure of the government in Tehran, asserting that Iran “will not be surprised again.”
In contrast, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said his country was “trying to prevent the region from sliding into a new war.” However, he acknowledged that the likelihood of a military confrontation with Israel was very high.
The organization added that escalating Iranian nuclear tensions make a return to the 2015 nuclear agreement virtually impossible, noting that Iran’s nuclear progress has “significantly diminished the agreement’s original value for the West.”
J Street called for negotiations on a new, more comprehensive agreement that addresses, in addition to the nuclear issue, ballistic missiles and armed groups supported by Tehran, while also including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in any future arrangements to ensure long-term stability in the region.
