Pakistan
8 briefs
The Ceasefire That Depends on the Blockade
Iran and the US are negotiating peace while simultaneously threatening the conditions that make peace impossible.
The Blockade That Is Already Being Traded Away
Trump imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports after Islamabad talks failed. Iran offered a 5-year uranium pause. Markets say both sides want a deal before May.
The Islamabad Impasse
Twenty-one hours of talks, no deal, and a blockade announced before dawn.
No Deal in Islamabad
21 hours of direct talks between the US and Iran collapsed over nuclear weapons and the Strait of Hormuz. The ceasefire is now strain-tested with no replacement framework.
Pakistan's Both Sides
Pakistan is hosting US-Iran peace talks while simultaneously sending fighter jets to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defense pact. The two moves are not contradictory. They are Pakistan's bet on being indispensable to everyone.
The Islamabad Gamble
Vance flew to Pakistan to negotiate a peace with Iran that neither side can fully afford to want.
China's Invisible Hand in the Iran Ceasefire
Beijing brokered peace through Pakistan, kept its fingerprints off the deal, and is now heading into the Trump summit holding the winning hand.
The Iran Ceasefire: Trump's Victory Lap Is a Cover Story
The deal was built on Iran's 10-point plan. Calling that a win requires ignoring what the plan says.