James Morrow: Iran and US tweet messages of peace after World War III tension

Since the death of Qassem Soleimani the world has been waiting to see how Iran would respond to the US. Now we know, and events didn’t unfold in the usual way, writes James Morrow.

It wasn’t that long ago that peace agreements between warring nations were negotiated slowly and painfully via back channels and diplomatic cables and carefully constructed summit meetings.

The start of the Paris Peace Talks which brought about the end of the Vietnam War were famously held up for almost three months because of a fight about the shape of the conference table. This week, though, we may just have seen two nations negotiate a truce via an entirely new medium: Twitter.

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For nearly a week since the US killed Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian general responsible for an increasingly dramatic and deadly series of attacks on American forces in Iraq, the world has been on tenterhooks waiting to see how Iran would respond – and whether it might lead to all-out war.

On Wednesday, we got our answer.

Following the strikes on Wednesday, President Trump tweeted, “all is well!” Picture: AP/Alex Brandon

Iran fired off at least a dozen ballistic missiles from within its own territory (itself a calculated statement) at two Iraqi military bases where US and Australian forces are stationed. The damage is still being fully assessed, but it was clear soon after they hit that no personnel were killed or even seriously injured.

And then, there were the tweets. The first one came from Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif soon after the attack. “Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defence under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched”, Zarif wrote. “We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.”

RELATED: Iran fires missile barrage on US air bases in Iraq

Thirteen minutes later, President Trump tweeted, “All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning”.

Tension picked up following the death of Soleimani. Picture: AP

While there remains every chance that Trump, sensing that his opponent is on the ropes, will be tempted to escalate with a military response to “finish the job”, there is also every reason for him not to. Not the least of these being an upcoming presidential election he looks likely to win but which would be derailed by the sort of war he promised in 2016 to get America out of.

RELATED: Iran attack, Trump claims ‘all is well’

For Iran’s part, it looks increasingly as if the volley was more an exercise in face saving than an attempt to draw the US into an all-out war Tehran knows it cannot win.

While a further assessment will come with the dawn, there is every probability that the attack was designed to make some noise but not inflict real pain – allowing the Iranian government to tell its people that they avenged Soleimani’s death by attacking the nation they often refer to as “The Great Satan”.

The key now is for both sides to step back, having made their points.

Trump will lose his advantage if he is seen to have another swing at an enemy that has all but put its hands up on Twitter.

But if Iran’s leaders are determined to further dial up the temperature in the region with further attacks, they’ll soon see themselves on the receiving end of more than just shade on social media.

James Morrow is the opinion editor for The Daily Telegraph.

Originally published as James Morrow: Iran and US tweet messages of peace after World War III tension