As US and Iranian envoys prepare to meet in Pakistan this weekend, the truce between the two sides appears less a step toward peace than a fragile intermission in a war whose central disputes remain unresolved.
There is little clarity about the terms of the ceasefire. Neither Washington nor Tehran refers to it as a formal agreement, and the absence of guarantees, enforcement mechanisms or an effective mediator underscores how fragile it may be.
President Donald Trump has declared victory, Tehran has described the outcome as a “historic achievement,” and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered only partial support for the arrangement.
The complexity of the war, including the involvement of Arab states across the Persian Gulf and multiple proxy actors, makes a comprehensive settlement difficult for now.
