The US-Iran Ceasefire Is Already Coming Apart
Two weeks. That’s the window Trump got with Iran — and it’s already leaking.
The deal, announced Tuesday, paused US-Iran hostilities and was supposed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Markets popped. Oil dropped. Everyone exhaled.
Then Israel kept bombing Lebanon. Iran said the ceasefire covered Lebanon. The White House said it didn’t. Tehran’s parliamentary speaker Ghalibaf posted that “time is running out” and warned of “strong responses” to violations. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia intercepted nine drones and the UAE shot down 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones — all within hours of the ceasefire announcement.
Analysts at J.P. Morgan put it diplomatically: “the ceasefire looks like it may be fleeting but the direction of travel is positive.” That’s a very generous read of a situation where Gulf states were scrambling to intercept missiles while the ink was still wet.
Talks are scheduled for Pakistan this weekend. Whether there’s still a ceasefire to talk about by then is the question.