Politics obstruct a US-Iran nuclear deal

US President Donald Trump has made Iran’s nuclear ambitions, alongside free passage through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the key to permanently ending the war. The contours of a potential agreement on the nuclear issue have been on the table since last June, when Israel launched its 12-day war against Iran during which the US bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities. The contours remained on the table in negotiations this year that were interrupted on February 28 when the US and Israel launched their latest assault on Iran. The reasons why US Vice President JD Vance and chief Iranian negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, failed to bridge the gaps between its position during talks in Islamabad a week ago have less to do with the details of a realistically achievable deal and more to do with the parties’ political needs. That is particularly true for Mr. Trump as Pakistan proposes a second round of talks in the Pakistani capital later this week.