On: Iran considering US proposal as Trump says war will be 'over quickly'

They speak of “war” and “ceasefire,” yet the names do not align with the actions. When one side declares a conflict will be “over quickly” while the other “considers a proposal,” this is not war as the ancients understood it. It is a contest of wills, a posturing, a dance of shadows. A true war is a rupture, a tearing of the social fabric. This, rather, feels like a prolonged negotiation conducted with threats instead of words.

And what of this “mediator” who “endeavours to convert this ceasefire into a permanent end to this war”? A mediator, by definition, stands between parties, seeking harmony. But if one party speaks of swift victory and the other weighs options, where is the common ground for true mediation? The relationship is not one of equal parties seeking resolution, but of a powerful entity dictating terms and a weaker one reacting. The duties of a mediator are to foster mutual respect and understanding; here, it seems the duty is to deliver a message.

The ritual of diplomacy, which should bring clarity and accord, has become a performance of veiled threats and public pronouncements. The words are spoken, but the true intentions are hidden. When the outward form of a ritual is maintained but its inner purpose is abandoned, chaos is not far behind. The cultivated person seeks sincerity in all actions, especially those that touch upon the lives of many. To speak of peace while preparing for conflict is to sow discord. The root is unsound; how can the branch bear good fruit?