From Hormuz to the Moon: A world on edge, at war, and reaching for the stars
Strait of Hormuz.The nuclear question is the oldest and most fundamental source of Western suspicion. Iran insists it has never sought to build a bomb.
However, after Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), negotiated under President Barack Obama — Iran enriched uranium beyond levels required for civilian use.The US now wants Iran to hand over its enriched stockpile. That is complicated by the fact that US and Israeli strikes reportedly rendered parts of the stockpile inaccessible, buried under rubble at a facility near Isfahan.Washington also wants Iran to commit to never pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Tehran maintains that its right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable.The Strait of Hormuz—previously not a flashpoint—has become one of Iran’s strongest bargaining chips.Oil tankers carrying crude, LPG and LNG cannot cross without Iranian approval. Tehran has reportedly floated the idea of levies on vessels transiting the strait, payable in Chinese yuan or cryptocurrency.Plenty to discuss; hope Vance and his team realise that patience and time will be of essence at the talks as Iran’s leaders are fighting for their survival here.The larger question remains: will Israel accept any agreement that emerges?As for Pakistan playing mediator—yes, they have managed to bring themselves out of the cold onto diplomatic centre-stage.
Should the talks succeed, they will gain more. But so will the world.Speaking of peace efforts, remember Trump’s Board of Peace launched in January 2026 with much fanfare? The one that countries had to fork out $1 billion to join for a three-year renewable term? There were more than 20 heads of state jostling on stage to be seen standing behind Trump to be
. Read on livemint.com