G7 summit can push for an end to Iran-Israel conflict

A fire burns at an oil refinery in southern Tehran after it was hit by an Israeli strike. AFP

Given Iran and Israel's continued exchange of fire since Friday morning, it comes as no surprise that the latest round of talks between the US and Iran, which were to be held in Oman yesterday, were cancelled.

What began as assassinations and precision strikes on military and nuclear installations inside Iran have now evolved into a full-blown conflict, increasing the number of civilians killed on both sides. The war between the two countries is no longer confined to targeted attacks.

In Iran, missile strikes have damaged critical oil refineries and energy infrastructure. In Israel, retaliatory ballistic attacks have reached cities and strategic sites such as Haifa Port, underscoring how swiftly such escalations can affect countries, disrupt the equilibrium of ordinary people’s daily lives, and destabilise markets, businesses and travel, with international commercial flights being rerouted.

The conflict is already spreading. The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have widened their involvement, while Iraqi militias aligned with Tehran have called for the accelerated departure of US troops from the country.

The Middle East has long been burdened by the scars of past wars. It cannot afford another protracted, region-wide conflict. In the latest conflagration, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis risks being sidelined as long as the Iran-Israel attacks continue.

Amid all this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent public call for the Iranian people to rise up against their government is troubling. It suggests that Israel’s aims go beyond its long-stated goal of degrading Iran’s nuclear programme and include regime change in Tehran. Such provocative rhetoric signals a dangerous shift in Israel's strategic intent. Such a war would lead to even greater damage.

As world leaders gather in Alberta, Canada for the G7 summit this week, discussions will inevitably centre around the Israel-Iran attacks, besides trade, tariffs and the global economy. The G7 must move beyond expressions of concern and exert tangible diplomatic pressure on both countries to de-escalate immediately, with clear consequences laid out if they do not.

Specifically, the G7 must use whatever influence it has with Israel to halt its military campaign and draw Iran back to the negotiating table with the US regarding its nuclear programme. A strong and renewed diplomatic effort towards meaningful dialogue – which the UAE and other regional powers have called for – is the only way to prevent further civilian suffering and death. Germany, France and Britain are reportedly ready to hold immediate talks with Iran. The onus, as always, remains with the US to restrain the Israeli leadership.

The current Israeli government must not be allowed to act as a rogue power it has been in recent months by using its military advantage to pursue destabilising objectives – not only against Iran but also in the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Syria. Continued impunity will only fuel further instability, that would erode international norms and do little to keep Israel secure.

The G7 summit lends an opportunity to the leaders of the world’s most powerful economies, at this juncture, to reaffirm the need and relevance of multilateralism. Co-ordinated action on this crisis could help restore faith in collective security mechanisms at a time when global co-operation is thought to be, at best, an increasingly irrelevant concept.

The window to act is narrowing. The international community must respond with clarity, resolve and urgency. Failing to do so could result in this war spiralling into an even wider one that could reshape the region in unwanted ways for decades to come.