The deal signed between Iran and the US on June 15th was not a peace deal to end the war, instead it was a memorandum of understanding.
It gave both sides time to tease out and agree key issues and while those negotiations would go on, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen for 60 days to the world’s container traffic.
But just a week later, Iran struck a container ship as it passed through the strait. The US struck back, bombing Iranian military infrastructure. A series of tit-for-tat strikes ensued as both sides accused the other of breaching the ceasefire agreed as part of the memorandum of understanding.
Then in a parallel peace move, US secretary of state Marco Rubio negotiated an agreement between the US, Israel and Lebanon – but does this have any chance of success? Why is the US operating two strands of peace talks? Are the Gulf states hedging their bets by talking directly to Tehran? And can the ceasefire hold?
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Irish Times correspondent Denis Staunton, author of the daily Global Briefing newsletter, explains what is happening in this entrenched conflict.
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.
