U.S. and Iran are closer to a deal than they appear, with talks focused on a staged process starting with Hormuz reopening, though mediators warn the next few days are critical. (Via CNN ) Summary The U.S. and Iran are not as far apart as they seem, according to sources familiar…
U.S. and Iran are closer to a deal than they appear, with talks focused on a staged process starting with Hormuz reopening, though mediators warn the next few days are critical. (Via CNN ) Summary The U.S. and Iran are not as far apart as they seem, according to sources familiar with the mediation process, despite a second round of talks in Pakistan failing to take place Ongoing diplomacy is centred on a staged process in which the first part of any deal would focus on returning to the pre-war status quo and reopening the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions or tolls Iran’s nuclear programme, cited by both the U.S. and Israel as their casus belli, would be addressed in a later stage of any agreement Trump has previously demanded Iran forfeit its near bomb-grade uranium stockpile and abandon enrichment, conditions Tehran has consistently refused Mediators are pressing both sides hard, with the next few days described as especially crucial to the process The prospect of the U.S. disengaging and returning to war remains a live risk hanging over the entire negotiation Intense behind-the-scenes diplomacy between the United States and Iran is advancing around a staged peace framework that would prioritise reopening the Strait of Hormuz before tackling the harder question of Tehran’s nuclear programme, according to sources familiar with the mediation process. The development comes despite a second round of formal talks in Pakistan failing to materialise, a setback that had led some observers to conclude the negotiating track was stalling.
Sources close to the process say the opposite is true, describing the two sides as closer to an agreement than the public picture suggests. The framework under discussion would begin by restoring the pre-war status quo and securing unrestricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, free of tolls or conditions. That alone would represent a significant development for global energy markets, which have been severely disrupted by the…