Amid rising tensions and growing fears of a military clash between Iran and the United States, a series of nations – especially in Iran’s extended neighbourhood – are engaged in hectic diplomacy aimed at avoiding an all-out war.We look at the various diplomatic efforts taking place, and whether they could succeed in defusing tensions.What is happening between Iran and the US?On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump renewed threats of US military intervention in Iran if it does not reach a deal to curb its nuclear programme and ballistic missile capacity.“A massive Armada is heading to Iran,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. The US fleet of warships includes the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed in a post on X on Monday that the USS Abraham Lincoln had been sent to the Middle East to “promote regional security and stability”.The vessel, which departed its home port of San Diego, California in November and had been operating in the South China Sea until last week, is one of the US Navy’s largest warships.Trump first issued a threat to militarily intervene in Iran earlier this month during protests against the country’s government. The protests had begun in late December 2025 over the country’s worsening economic conditions. They escalated into a broader challenge to the country’s clerical leadership, which has been in power since the 1979 Islamic revolution.Trump initially backed down from his threat to attack Iran …
