Iran presents US with roadmap to end the war

Iran has presented the US with a roadmap to end the war that echoes the two countries' June agreement — a 60-day ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and groundwork for further talks — The National reported. The initiative follows US-Iran talks that President Donald Trump said had momentum, with Qatar, Pakistan, and, increasingly, Egypt mediating. It also comes at a time of military posturing, heated rhetoric, and signs that other actors are muddying the waters. China has sent Iran around 1,300 shipments containing "dual-use" components for drones and missile guidance systems, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Gulf states want de-escalation, but are seeking their own talks with Tehran rather than relying solely on the US-Iran framework. Economic interdependence with Iran could anchor regional security, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari argued at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York.

Expectations aren't high: Former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim warned that temporary solutions favor Tehran's strategy of patience. To counter that, Gulf countries "must bear some of the pain too , and insist on reaching a legal, permanent, and clear solution for the issue of the Strait of Hormuz."