Hormuz gamble

THE fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US may have slowed the fighting, but the conflict driving it remains unresolved. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s meetings in Tehran over the weekend show the urgency of the crisis and the narrowing space for diplomacy. Even as President Donald Trump warned that “the clock is ticking” for Iran, reports suggest diplomacy may already have helped avert another escalation after Tehran submitted a revised proposal through Islamabad. That underlines how consequential Pakistan’s role has become. Islamabad is increasingly acting as a conduit through which proposals move between Tehran and Washington. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s contacts with Qatar and Egypt further demonstrate Pakistan’s attempt to position itself at the centre of regional diplomacy when few reliable communication channels remain open. The negotiations themselves, however, remain deeply troubled. Iranian media reports suggest Washington’s latest proposal still demands sweeping nuclear concessions while offering little relief in return. Tehran is reportedly being asked to scale back much of its nuclear infrastructure, transfer enriched uranium abroad and begin talks before broader hostilities end. Iran, meanwhile, continues demanding sanctions relief, access to frozen assets, reparations for wartime damage and guarantees against future attacks. Yet beneath the public posturing, there are faint signs both sides may be probing for compromise. Reports indicate Iran may be willing to suspend parts of its nuclear programme, transfer some enriched uranium abroad and gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions are eased and security guarantees materialise. Publicly, however, neither Washington nor Tehran wishes to appear politically weakened by flexibility. The Strait of Hormuz has become the real centre of the confrontation. Earlier phases of the crisis revolved around nuclear restrictions. Today, the dispu...

Original source: Dawn Pakistan