US-Iran Deal Urgent For Global Stability

With a view to ending the Middle East conflict, Iran and the US are close to a peace deal that is urgent to save lives and overcome the deepening energy crisis roiling the world. Several media reports cite that Iran is considering the US proposal to end the war. The White House states that it could be closing in on a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran, according to BBC. Earlier, the proposed peace talks between US and Iran in Islamabad faced a roadblock in the wake of the shooting incident that shook US capital on April 25. US President Donald Trump had to be rescued amid shooting in the Washington Hilton Hotel where US officials were participating in an annual Whitehouse Correspondents' Association Dinner. Islamabad was waiting for US and Iranian delegates for second round of peace talks supposed to end the almost two month long war between US and Iran, as well as the Israeli bombing of the cities in Lebanon. 

On the other hand, tensions persist in the Hormuz waterway as Iran claims its control over it, whereas US has imposed blockade in the strait amid Iran's tough stance on finding a solution to the Iran crisis. Iran has lately forwarded a new 14- point proposal for ending the war within thirty days, demanding that US remove the blockade of the Hormuz Strait and that Iran too would allow ships to pass through the strait with a new mechanism. Iran has sought guarantee of non-aggression by US in the future, withdrawal of US forces from the region, release of frozen Iranian funds, compensation for losses caused to Iran in the war, among others.

Doubt 

US President Donald Trump has not responded to the proposal but has expressed doubt over its acceptability.  The US had not sent his team to Islamabad for talks so as to put pressure on Iran, whereas Iran wants that Iranian atomic programme not be included in the present talks. The US is reluctant to withdraw the blockade of the Hormuz Strait, whereas Iran too continues to attack US ships on the strait. As US plans to escort ships through the waterway, Iran has warned that any aggressive ships nearing the strait would be targeted by Iranian army.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had also visited Russian capital to meet his Russian counterpart. He was supposed to seek support from Russia as Iran faces a second round of US attacks after failure to hold the second round of talks slated to be held in Islamabad at the behest of Pakistan. As the US faced a terrorist attack on its president, though he came out unharmed, US psyche is in trouble as this is the third attempt on President Trump in two years. Earlier, he was attacked in his presidential campaign in Pennsylvania in July, 2024, when upper part of his right ear was pierced, but he survived narrowly.

The US is not in a hurry for talks and seems to put pressure on Iran until it discards its atomic programme. However, Iran is not expected to shun the programme and wants to talk about it later. Iran first wants US to remove the blockade of Hormuz Strait, which, however, can be a prestige issue for the US. Amid this, both sides are also preparing for a large scale war once again after a loose ceasefire which is in place for about few weeks.

The Iran -US peace talks are also a prestige issue for Pakistan after its effort failed in the first round of peace talks in Islamabad. PM Shehbaz Sharif is trying his best to bring out a solution to the West Asia crisis including the Israeli attack on Lebanon. Pakistan says exchange of messages is continuing though the date for the peace talks is not fixed. In the latest move, Iran has however, proposed to end the war within a month, and not just extend the ceasefire. As the US blockade of Hormuz continues, world economy continues to suffer with the rising oil prices worldwide, as one fifth of the crude oil and liquefied natural gas comes out of this strait to the international market.

In the meantime, US has rejected Iranian proposal for postponing nuclear programme as topic of discussion for now, which has hindered the second round of talks. Iran on the other hand continues attacking ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. It has however, allowed ships from friendly countries by levying tolls. China has also passed its ships through the strait in disobedience of the blockade imposed by US. Countries are seeking ways as an alternative to the Hormuz strait for transporting oil from Iran. There are options of pipelines via Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq and Syria, but their capacity is very low as compared to oil transported through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Guerrilla warfare

Despite the war and blockade of the Hormuz, Iran is undeterred and everyone is surprised how it could sustain it all. But it is said that Iran is doing business with Russia via its northern ports through the Caspian Sea. Although the US President has said it has destroyed Iranian air force and navy, but still Iran is attacking targets in the Middle East and in the Hormuz strait, as it has a large number of missiles, drones and speed boats which can target any big ships swiftly and without the notice of the radar. In one way, this strategy of Iran is regarded as a guerrilla warfare instead of using traditional weaponry, with which it cannot sustain the war unleashed on it by US and Israel jointly. 

US President and Iranian leaders should think it is not just they are fighting and losing precious resources, but the whole world is suffering, affecting homes and daily life in the third world, and that they should come to the negotiating table and find out a solution for lasting peace in the region once and for all.

(Bhattarai is the former chief reporter RSS National News Agency)