Published
Reading time: 2min – video: 2min
Islamabad, Americans and Iranians are preparing to resume crucial negotiations for peace in the Middle East. Amid a fragile ceasefire, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, and major nuclear disagreements, the discussions are expected to be particularly delicate.
This text corresponds to a part of the transcription of the above report. Click on the video to watch it in full.
A few hours before crucial peace negotiations in the Middle East, security checks are reinforced in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is in a hotel in the Pakistani capital, where the final preparations are underway, that the talks will take place.
By the weekend, and under the auspices of the Pakistani Prime Minister, an American delegation consisting of Vice President J.D. Vance, Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff will face Iranian negotiators, likely led by Mohammad Ghalibaf. However, the new strongman of the Islamic Republic conditionally participates in the negotiations on the halt of Israeli strikes in Lebanon. On X, he says: “Lebanon and all of Iran’s allies are an inseparable part of the ceasefire. Any violation of the ceasefire will result in significant blows and strong retaliation.”
The discussions, if they take place, are expected to be extremely difficult. Of the ten points in the peace plan to be negotiated, two in particular will be crucial: first, uranium enrichment, which Tehran would like to continue, is out of the question for the United States. And then, the Strait of Hormuz.
In the last 36 hours, despite the ceasefire, only six ships have transited the area. Twenty thousand sailors and several hundred vessels are still blocked there. We spoke to the captain of one of them: “Since the ceasefire was announced, the situation has improved a bit. The crew is more relieved, but there is still stress. You know, as Trump says something different every day, there is a lot of uncertainty,” says Raman Kapoor, an Indian captain.
The key to unblocking the Strait of Hormuz could be a matter of money. Iran has already charged over one and a half million euros to certain ships passing through the area and is considering making this rule systematic. A maritime toll, contrary to international law, but an idea that Donald Trump said he could accept, provided he gets a cut of the money.
