U.S. President Donald Trump has also said that they will extend the ceasefire with Iran, providing a temporary halt in the hostilities, even though diplomatic talks have yet to be established; however, tensions between the two parties are intense. The move, which was taken a few hours before the current truce was to lapse, essentially postpones further fighting and is an effort to buy time in order to facilitate negotiations.
The ceasefire that was initially agreed upon earlier in the month during the current war with Iran is now extended indefinitely, with Trump mentioning that an attack would not occur until Iran offers a unanimous peace proposal.
Although the extension is made, the situation is still volatile. The U.S. has ensured a naval blockade on Iranian ports, which Tehran has highly criticised. Iranian authorities claim that this will destroy trust and complicate effective negotiations and accuse Washington of failing to keep its promises and exerting pressure instead of engaging in real diplomacy.
The ceasefire in itself is weak. According to reports, Trump has threatened that the pause is not indefinite, and that Iran has only a short period to respond, perhaps only days, by coming up with a unified negotiating strategy.
This has put more pressure on the Iranian leadership, which is still divided on what to do.
In the meantime, the situation is complicated by more general geopolitical tensions. Iran has indicated that it is not ready to resume negotiations until the U.S. lifts the blockade, and it also threatens to take retaliation in case military action is renewed. According to analysts, the ceasefire is a strategic breath on both sides instead of taking the first steps towards peace.
A strategic oil passage, the Strait of Hormuz, has been a centre of concern. Shipping and energy markets have already been disrupted in the region, with the diplomatic efforts becoming urgent. Though efforts have been made through mediation, especially with the involvement of Pakistan, in an effort to bring both sides to the table, little has been achieved.
Parallel to this, Trump has also participated in other ceasefire operations in the Middle East, such as a temporary peace between Israel and Lebanon earlier this month. But, like in the case of Iran, these agreements have been regarded as temporary fixes, not long-term fixes.
Finally, although the ceasefire can provide some momentary relief against war, it has failed to address the root causes of the conflict. As both sides continue to hold hardline views and mistrust each other, it is unclear as to whether a long-term peace agreement can be achieved.
