Five steps to prevent the Iran war from becoming a global catastrophe
The war involving Israel, the United States and Iran risks escalating across the Middle East and beyond unless a coordinated diplomatic settlement is pursued.
Recent articles in Politics
17 March 2026
Iran war may accelerate a new Middle East security order
The war on Iran may have far-reaching consequences for Gulf security, regional alliances and the future of the US presence in the Middle East. Eugene Doyle talks with former US Ambassador Chas Freeman, to try and see the road ahead.
17 March 2026
Australia’s fuel security crisis needs less diesel, not more refineries
Australia’s heavy reliance on imported diesel has left the economy exposed to global shocks, highlighting the need to cut demand rather than simply increase supply.
17 March 2026
Iran war exposes confusion at the heart of Australia’s foreign policy
Australia’s carefully calibrated but confusing diplomacy has struggled to cope with the political and strategic consequences of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
17 March 2026
Freedom at last for the Robodebt Six, thanks to the NACC
New findings from the anti-corruption commission clear several figures of corruption over Robodebt, but the affair still exposes profound failures in public administration.
17 March 2026
Frank Brennan on the fog of war
As conflict spreads across the Middle East, the moral test of war returns to first principles – legality, justification and the danger of acting in blindness.
17 March 2026
Ministerial responsibilities and Robodebt
The principle of ministerial responsibility means a minister must answer for the policies and advice presented to cabinet – including the flawed Robodebt scheme.
17 March 2026
Refreshing the city – rethinking our greatest invention
Cities have shaped human life, yet rapid growth, changing work patterns and new expectations about community are forcing a rethink of how they function.
17 March 2026
Sanctioned Rubio to take part in Trump’s China trip
The US secretary of state, previously sanctioned by Beijing, is expected to accompany Donald Trump on a visit to China as both sides prepare for high-level talks.
16 March 2026
Five years after March 4 Justice, women are still being killed
Five years after tens of thousands of women marched across Australia demanding action on gendered violence, the country has changed its language and policies. But the most brutal statistic – women killed by current or former partners – has not declined.
16 March 2026
Asia’s energy-reliant economies face ‘existential threat’ from prolonged Iran war
Asian economies heavily dependent on imported oil and gas face higher fuel costs, widening trade deficits and slower growth if disruption to Middle East energy flows persists.
16 March 2026
Mearsheimer on Iran: no off-ramp, no clear victory, huge global risk
In this wide-ranging discussion with Chris Hedges, political scientist John J Mearsheimer argues the US and Israel have entered a war of attrition with Iran that risks global economic shock and a strategic defeat for Washington.
16 March 2026
Allegra Spender reopens the tax debate – but the real divide is wealth, not generations
Australia’s tax debate often frames reform as a struggle between younger and older generations. But the real divide lies between wage earners and those who derive growing advantage from assets, wealth and capital income.
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