News Snapshot:
Tensions between Iran and Pakistan call for a third-party negotiation to defuse the situation that could spiral into a dangerous escalation, according to experts. Nonetheless, Pakistan’s swift response to the Iranian strike could galvanise domestic support for the country’s powerful military, which has faced protests by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party members after his ouster. “With Pakistan now having retaliated militarily against Iran, now is the time for third-party mediation to ensure that a sudden but increasingly dangerous crisis doesn’t spiral out of control. Beijing is the most logical intermediary and it has the capacity & leverage to succeed,”...