Behind the scenes, Qatari mediators are scrambling to bridge the divide between Washington and Tehran. Negotiators have spent eight days refining a draft agreement, yet the core impasse remains: Iran refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or return to the nuclear bargaining table until its specific, undisclosed conditions are met. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has placed the burden of progress squarely on the US, signaling that Tehran will not yield to military intimidation.
President Donald Trump, eyeing the post-midterm landscape, maintains that Tehran is eager for a deal, even as US defensive strikes continue. The regional fallout is widening, forcing Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan into urgent talks with Iranian officials to contain the spillover. The volatility is compounded by Houthi activity near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which now threatens to choke off a second vital maritime artery. As these regional powers attempt to construct a security framework independent of foreign military presence, the risk persists that a single miscalculation in the Strait of Hormuz could render current diplomatic channels obsolete.
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