Three European foreign ministers rushed to Beirut recently to persuade the pro-western parliamentary majority and pro-Iranian and Syrian opposition to hold presidential elections by the late November deadline, and avoid another tragic conflagration in the -Middle East. The United Nations Security Council added its voice this week by demanding free and fair elections and Arab and western foreign ministers huddled in Istanbul to talk about Lebanon.

But if Lebanon is to avert disaster, the flurry of diplomacy needs more vigorous and reasoned input from two crucial parties - the US and Iran. However unusual, Washington and Tehran have more reason to co-operate than to spar over the latest Lebanese crisis, even though they back rival factions. Their instincts are to seek victory for their allies, but their strategic interests are better served keeping Lebanon as a relatively dormant front and promoting a presidential compromise.