Former US ambassador warns that conflict deepens humanitarian crisis and signals growing US isolation
Emergency personnel work at the site of a collapsed building, following an Israeli attack in the Bachoura neighborhood, in central Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the conflict between the United States and Israel with Iran and Lebanon, on March 18, 2026 PHOTO: REUTERS
Ambassador Masood Khan, former president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, has said that the current conflict involving Iran has exposed deep fissures in the global order, highlighting strategic miscalculations, grave humanitarian consequences and the growing isolation of the United States on the international stage.
In a televised analysis, Ambassador Khan noted that recent military strikes have caused extensive damage across Iran, targeting military personnel, strategic installations and civilian infrastructure, resulting in a serious humanitarian crisis with large numbers of civilian casualties, including women and children.
He described the conflict as an asymmetric war, with Iran leveraging ballistic missiles, drones and other strategic capabilities to counter conventional military superiority.
Read: US troops say war with Iran is ‘God’s plan’ to trigger Armageddon
The war between Iran and the US-Israel alliance began on February 28, 2026, when coordinated airstrikes targeted Iranian military sites, citing threats to regional security. The conflict escalated dramatically following the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
The conflict with Iran has caused numerous victims throughout the region. In Iran, at least 1,270 people have been killed, including 175 schoolchildren and Minab staff, while Lebanon has reported 594 deaths from Israeli airstrikes, including 84 children. Iraq, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman have also suffered losses, and dozens more have been killed in air and missile strikes. The United States has reported around 140 wounded soldiers, mostly minor injuries, while Israel has lost at least 12 civilians and several soldiers, highlighting the widespread human cost of the ongoing conflict.
Despite the massive use of air power by the United States and Israel, Iran has maintained its defensive posture and its new leadership has vowed to continue the conflict, even threatening to blockade the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The war has raised oil and energy prices and poses serious geopolitical and economic challenges for neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan, which shares a 900-kilometer border with Iran and has deep cultural, religious and political ties with its neighbor.
Discussing the political dimensions, he observed that US decision-making seemed heavily influenced by strategic alignments, particularly with Israel, and lacked broad international support. Ambassador Khan recalled the 2015 nuclear deal as a framework for diplomacy, noting that the US withdrawal undermined progress and contributed to the current escalation.
He also highlighted how the conflict has diverted global attention from the crises in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, noting that the selective application of international law continues to erode global trust. The former envoy warned of strains on traditional alliances as several European nations are reluctant to back recent military actions, reinforcing the perception of US isolation despite its global power.
Read more: 200 US soldiers injured in seven countries during war with Iran
The humanitarian situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories remains dire, with civilians bearing the brunt of Israel’s airstrikes, military operations and expansion of illegal settlements.
These actions have exacerbated food and medicine shortages, while hospitals and schools struggle to function amid damaged infrastructure. International observers warn that the protracted crisis risks a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe as civilians face displacement, restricted access to essential services and growing insecurity, highlighting the urgent need for sustained diplomacy and international aid interventions.
On the economic front, Ambassador Khan emphasized disruptions in global energy markets and the emergence of alternative financial systems that could challenge the US dollar, warning that prolonged instability could have far-reaching consequences for global trade and economic stability.
He concluded by calling for renewed diplomacy, adherence to international law and a balanced approach to conflict resolution. “Sustainable peace cannot be achieved through force alone,” he said. “It requires dialogue, moderation and commitment to justice and multilateralism.”
