This is LBC from Global, leading Britain's conversation with James O'Brien.

Three minutes after ten is the time. A very good morning to you. And, well, it's one of those

mornings where the fare that we routinely pick over together could not today be more serious. In a moment, we will catch up with an expert view on proceedings. But before that, my own brief summary of the situation, which is this, the tensions between Iran

and America have been ramped up, not exclusively by America, by Donald Trump's decision to

assassinate Qasem Soleimani, but before that, by an Iranian-sponsored attack upon a facility in

which an American contractor died,

and, of course, subsequently, the supporters of an Iranian-backed militia besieging the American

embassy. So there is tit and there is tat, if you'd pardon the expression. The question now,

the word now at the very heart of all of these contemplations is escalation.

The British government is calling for both sides to de-escalate.

And again, this is a very personal perspective.

The most interesting element of that, for me, is this.

If Donald Trump undertook this operation in order to distract from

his impeachment, then why would he now de-escalate? That's just a question I will leave hanging over

proceedings this morning. I'd refer you also to the cover of the latest edition. I just invented

a new word. An edition of private eye,

which has that point, as ever, perfectly encapsulated in a speech bubble. You know,

this is all about distracting from impeachment. I don't know if I buy that, but if it is,

de-escalation looks less likely.

Five minutes after ten is the time.

Dr. Renad Mansour is a research fellow at the Cambridge Security Initiative at the University of Cambridge and indeed at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, or Chatham House.

And he joins me on the line now.

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