Pepe Escobar Reports on Trump’s Intention to De-escalate Iran Conflict

Jan. 8, 2020 (EIRNS)—Brazilian journalist Pepe Escobar, Asia Times’ geopolitical analyst, reports today in Consortium News on a response sent from a “top U.S. intel source” to whom Escobar had posed “a detailed question.” The source, he said, was close to the Qatari royal family, and responded that President Donald Trump sent a message to Tehran via the emir of Qatar that there would be de-escalation if Tehran came up with a “proportional response.” Escobar notes that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s tweet following the missile attack this morning stated: “Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter.”

Escobar’s source otherwise said: “It is most unlikely Trump will escalate at this point, and this could provide him with the opportunity to leave the Middle East except for the Gulf States. Trump wants to get out. The fact that Israel would be hit next by Iran ... will probably cause them to pull back, and not order Trump to bomb Iran itself.

“DEBKA-Mossad acknowledged that Iran’s offensive missiles cannot be defended against. Its secret is that it hugs the ground going underneath the radar screens. ... What is amazing is that Iraq has allowed U.S. troops into their country at all after seeing over a million of their people murdered by the U.S. if we include the 500,000 dead children....”

The source also questioned why the Patriot missile defense systems on the U.S. bases were not used.

Escobar added:

“Judd Deere, the deputy press secretary of the White House, confirmed on Tuesday night what I had learned earlier from another source. The White House said Trump, in a phone call, thanked Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for ‘Qatar’s partnership with the United States,’ and they discussed Iraq and Iran....

“Details are still sparse, but there’s ultra-high level, back-room diplomacy going on, especially between Iran and Russia, with China discreet, but on full alert.”