Elusive peace agreement

IS there finally a deal to end the Iran war? Not even close. As the world awaited Washington’s approval of a framework that Tehran reportedly agreed upon to de-escalate tensions, US President Donald Trump cautioned negotiators “not to rush into a deal” with Iran — a deal that could potentially lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a comprehensive peace plan. Hours after Iranian negotiators arrived in Qatar for discussions aimed at ending the war, American forces struck Iran’s southern port of Bandar Abbas, claiming they were acting in self-defence. This latest escalation by the US has coincided with intensified attacks by Israel on Lebanon. The close link between these two conflicts complicates negotiators’ efforts to reach a peace deal. It appears that Trump is acting under pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some of his closest Republican allies in the Senate and beyond. Meanwhile, Trump posted a provocative image on his Truth Social platform, showing a map of the Middle East with Iran overlaid by the American flag and the phrase “United States of the Middle East?” He has further demanded that Arab and other Muslim nations join the Abraham Accords. This raises questions about whether the world, particularly Iran, can trust him, given his unpredictable behaviour. Trump’s ever-shifting stance has clouded the prospects of a peace deal in the near future. Pakistan’s mediation efforts, supported by regional countries, seemed to have brought Tehran and Washington closer to a peace deal that could have led to extensive negotiations between the two sides. According to reports, the proposed 14-point MoU, following weeks of intensive diplomatic talks, envisions an extension of the ceasefire, the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to all maritime traffic and the removal of the US blockade of Iranian ports. Trump’s ever-shifting stance has clouded the prospects of a peace deal in the near future. That was to be followed by negotiatio