NEW DELHI, January 15. /TASS/. A potential US military intervention would escalate tensions in the Middle East and increase human suffering rather than resolve the crisis in the country, an editorial in The Hindu said.

"Repeated protests have exposed structural weaknesses, while the state has shown little capacity to address public grievances. But the solution is not another bombing campaign," the article reads.

"While Iran’s rulers are under pressure, it is wrong to assume that they are internally isolated," the newspaper noted. "About 30 million people, roughly 50% of the electorate, voted in the 2024 presidential elections. On January 12, thousands of Iranians took to the streets in pro-government rallies. Despite the Israeli bombings, sustained protests and Mr. Trump’s threats, there are no visible cracks in the loyalty of the security apparatus," The Hindu writes.

"An American attack aimed at forcing regime change would risk plunging the region into deeper chaos or throwing Iran into prolonged cycles of violence," the author says, arguing that a military operation would only bring more suffering to the people. "Anyone with even a cursory understanding of US invasions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya knows that regime change wars do not resolve internal political crises."

However, the paper said the United States appeared ready to "repeat the discredited and dangerous path." "Those genuinely concerned about the well-being of Iran should instead press for engagement with its rulers and encourage meaningful reform," The Hindu concluded.

Earlier, Reuters reported that the United States may launch a military operation against Iran within 24 hours. US President Donald Trump had warned that he was seriously considering using force against Iran. Unrest in Iran began on December 29 when street protests triggered by a sharp fall in the Iranian rial exchange rate spread across most major cities. Authorities reported the deaths of 40 law enforcement officers. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, armed terrorists appeared among the demonstrators on January 8. The Iranian authorities blamed Israel and the United States for organizing the unrest.