Why the war in Iran could change the Gulf region forever

Arun George & Jairaj SinghTNN
Mar 19, 2026 | 19:53 IST

A former Indian diplomat explains why US-Israel should end the war at the earliest and how this conflict could result in big changes in the region

As the war in Iran drags on with no clear endgame, the global economy remains on edge. Nearly 30% of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and any prolonged disruption there could send shocks far beyond West Asia. The objectives of a conflict that began on February 28 remain murky, even as the US-Israel coalition and Iran continue to trade strikes.

India has not condemned the attacks on Iran that killed its Supreme Leader, though it has issued repeated calls for peace in a region where lakhs of Indians live and work. That stance has drawn mixed reactions, with some calling it evasive and others defending it as pragmatic diplomacy.
Copyright © 2024 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service.