Jeffrey Sachs on the Real Origins of the Iran War and the Coming Economic Devastation

The current conflict between the United States and Iran represents a decisive fork in the road, with the potential for either a diplomatic off-ramp or an uncontrolled escalation into a global war. Jeffrey Sachs argues that the United States is trapped by an imperial desire to maintain hegemony and a misguided partnership with Israel, which seeks regional dominance through the "Clean Break" strategy. This approach ignores historical context, such as the 1953 coup against Mossadegh and the 1979 revolution, while prioritizing reckless military action over diplomatic solutions. An escalation would likely destroy critical infrastructure in the Gulf, triggering a global economic crisis characterized by stagflation and food shortages. Sachs emphasizes that Iran is not an existential threat to Israel and that a peaceful, two-state solution remains the only viable path to stability, requiring the United States to abandon its destructive, unconditional support for Israeli extremism.