According to Odaily, Arab mediators revealed that Iran is privately more open to peace talks. The United States has temporarily removed Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi and Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf from the assassination list for four to five days to allow both sides to participate when negotiations begin. Mediators from Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan are pushing for a meeting between US and Iranian officials as early as this week.
Both sides' demands after the war far exceeded pre-war expectations. Iran demanded that the United States compensate for war losses and close its military bases in the Middle East, as well as charging international shipping companies fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The United States, in turn, demanded that Iran halt uranium enrichment, restore freedom of navigation in the Strait, restrict its missile program, and limit its support for regional militias.
Analysts believe that if both sides deem the cost of war unbearable, there is still a narrow space for reaching a minimum ceasefire agreement first, followed by further negotiations to resolve the full agenda. Possible paths include Iran suspending its uranium enrichment activities for several years, reaching a regional non-aggression pact in exchange for a phased easing of sanctions, while issues such as the disposal of nuclear materials and missile programs would be left for later resolution. (Jinshi)
