The Proximate Aspect with Alastair Crooke

In this episode of Al Mayadeen’s The Proximate Aspect, host Zeinab Al Saffar talks down with former British diplomat and the Director of the Conflicts Forum, Alastair Crooke, to examine whether the region is on the brink of a major war or whether diplomacy is merely a façade.

Crooke argues that the current US-Iran indirect talks in Oman are unlikely to yield substantive results. He explains that Iran has firmly rejected zero enrichment and refuses to include its missile program in negotiations, while “Israel”, according to Crooke, has inverted the priorities by making the dismantling of Iran’s ballistic missile system the central condition.

He describes what he calls a “trap” set around President Trump, questioning whether Washington or Tel Aviv is truly driving policy, and warns that “Israel” is not seeking a limited strike, but rather a full military campaign aimed at destroying the Iranian state. In his view, such a campaign would not be short. Iran would respond against “Israel”, US bases, and naval forces in the Persian Gulf, potentially triggering a prolonged regional war.

Crooke also warns of catastrophic economic consequences: the possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a shock to global energy markets, stock market turmoil in the US and Europe, and what a risk of both a military and economic meltdown.

Beyond the battlefield, the conversation turns to the release of the Epstein files. Crooke says the handling of the documents has fueled public anger in the United States, contributing to a profound rupture between the American public and its political establishment. He argues that collapsing trust in institutions, volatile markets, and Trump’s falling approval ratings all factor into the war calculus, especially with midterm elections approaching.

Is diplomacy a genuine track or a cover for escalation?
Can the United States afford a major war politically or economically?
And what happens to the region, and the global order, if the “explosion” comes?