Dr. Suzan Amidi – Political Science Researcher
Amidst the regional tensions surrounding the Middle East, military tension between India and Pakistan has resurfaced, raising legitimate questions: Is this a real escalation stemming from the historical conflict, or is it part of a larger game being played behind the scenes?
The Iranian nuclear file, the escalating friction between Tehran and Washington, and the indirect confrontations via local proxies in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon all form a significant pressure circle on the United States, its allies, and the broader regional stability equations. At the same time, the South Asian region is witnessing a sudden return to border tensions and mutual statements between New Delhi and Islamabad, as though we are returning to the brink of war.
In this context, one cannot ignore the role of political powers in directing the media and utilizing its tools to shape narratives that serve their interests. With the abundance of information and conflicting reports, the truth becomes blurred, even for observers and researchers. How much more for the general public who receive the image through directed channels? Media thus transforms from merely transmitting events to shaping them, and from being a mediator of reality to an instrument for crafting it.
Amidst the rush of analyses and positions, and from the perspective of my expertise in political science, I find myself investing considerable time and effort in meticulous follow-up, critical reading, and connecting fragmented data in an attempt to understand the scene with depth and balance. However, I admit that the truth is often subject to distortion and manipulation, and events may take unexpected turns despite the apparent clarity of indicators, due to the fast-paced changes and the shifting international landscape.
It is not an exaggeration to say that highlighting an old conflict, such as Kashmir, could be a strategic tool to divert global public opinion, easing the diplomatic and media pressure on more sensitive and complex issues. In the game of international balances, fronts are sometimes stirred not to achieve victory, but to divert attention.
Understanding the regional scene is incomplete without reading between the lines of apparent escalations. India and Pakistan are nuclear powers, and any escalation between them carries an international price, but it also remains a lever of pressure that can be utilized in moments of need.
Perhaps the most important question is: Who benefits from quenching the fire in the Middle East by igniting a spark in South Asia? Are the people merely spectators in a theater of crisis management?
In times of narrative manipulation, critical awareness and independent thinking remain the last line of defense against the noise of guidance and deception.
