U.S. and Iran Enter 60-Day Peace Roadmap Amid Nuclear Inspection Dispute
Negotiations shift to Pakistan as the U.S. restores dollar-denominated oil sales and the Strait of Hormuz reopens to maritime traffic.
The United States and Iran have initiated a 60-day diplomatic roadmap aimed at ending active hostilities, marked by significant concessions and a shift in mediation geography. In a major policy shift, the U.S. Treasury has issued a temporary waiver allowing Iran to trade oil in U.S. dollars for the first time in decades. Simultaneously, the Strait of Hormuz has officially reopened, with the International Maritime Organization moving to evacuate 11,000 seafarers who had been stranded by the naval standoff.
However, the roadmap faces immediate friction over nuclear oversight. While President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have indicated that Iran has agreed to IAEA inspections of previously targeted nuclear facilities, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has issued a denial, stating that no new commitments have been made. This public contradiction remains a primary hurdle as the diplomatic focus shifts from Switzerland to Pakistan, where President Masoud Pezeshkian is meeting with mediators in Islamabad.
On the regional front, the Lebanon ceasefire brokered last Saturday remains stable. A new 'de-confliction cell' established by the U.S. and Iran—notably excluding Israel—is intended to monitor and maintain the cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. Israeli and Lebanese delegates are currently in Washington to reinforce these de-escalation efforts as the 60-day timeline progresses.
Key Points
- A 60-day diplomatic roadmap toward a permanent peace agreement is now in effect, including a U.S. Treasury waiver allowing Iran to sell oil in U.S. dollars.
- High-level negotiations have transitioned from Switzerland to Pakistan, with President Masoud Pezeshkian arriving in Islamabad for Qatar-mediated talks.
- The U.S. has declared the Strait of Hormuz open to maritime traffic, prompting the IMO to begin evacuating 11,000 stranded seafarers.
- Tehran has publicly denied claims by President Trump and VP JD Vance regarding new commitments for IAEA nuclear inspections.
- A brokered ceasefire in Lebanon is holding as Israeli and Lebanese delegates meet in Washington to discuss de-escalation updates.