AS the clock ticks by the seconds, the Iran war is escalating to new levels. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Tehran, which rejected it with a wave of its hands. Iran has also rejected a ceasefire proposal from mediators. The President is obviously getting impatient. Five weeks into the war, Iran refuses to be cowed down. It is shooting down American fighter jets and refusing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the closure of which has caused a huge global economic crisis. Trump’s latest warning was that he would pound Iran’s bridges and power houses with missiles by Tuesday evening Eastern Time. However, huge explosions occurred in Iran in recent hours, meaning that “letting loose of hell on Iran” by the US-Israel combine was under way. Trump’s impatience was evident in the manner in which he expressed himself on his social media page, Truth Social. He used expletives against Iran’s leadership. The Iranian embassies simultaneously began “shaming” the Americans with mimes on the downing of a prized US F-35 fighter jet, saying what crashed was rather the” American pride.” The suffering does not confine itself to the Iranians or the Americans or the Israelis – who all are directly involved in the war – but the world at large.
Prices of almost every commodity are shooting up. Even lemons have become dearer, citing the excuse that transportation costs have increased as a result of the supply chain disruptions. But, lemon farmers, or agriculturists as a whole are not benefited. Cartels in the trade inflate the rates at their sweet will and the governments have not been able to regulate the markets. Hotels across the country are facing the brunt as LPG supplies have been hit. Eateries have raised their prices. India’s economic mainstay, the construction sector, is hit by massive price increases. And this could further worsen. The second month of the war has been worse –vis-a-vis its impact on public life. The aviation sector continues to face disruptions while flights take circuitous routes to avoid the hotspots in the Middle East. Airfares have increased sharply. If India prided itself for reduced inflationary trends in recent years, the obverse is happening now. The Indian currency is now at a record low. Fears are that, if the war persists, the Rupee could plunge further to 110 per dollar.
Governmental interventions like cuts on petrol and diesel duties have helped regulate prices at fuel stations. Motorists have not been affected much, but whether the scenario would remain the same after the present round of assembly polls is a big concern. How long this war would course through is unpredictable. Iran has its strong military – ranking 16th in the world. The Islamists who run the government there are adamant. Iran’s land army is of the size of nearly a million. Their morale remains high. Confronting them on the ground is easier said than done. This would appear to be a predicament for President Trump, who would alternatively raise the intensity of the fight from the skies. The more the war carries on, the worse it will be for people across the world.
