So the negotiations have ended. In the old days, there was such a thing as “gentlemen’s agreements”. Those days are long, long gone, at least where the US or Israel are concerned, and the Iranians had few expectations. They certainly saw no reason to talk to the puppets Witkoff and Kushner. I suspect they were pressured by China to agree to “negotiate”. After all, China, too, suffers from the closure of the Hormuz Strait, not to mention the possible collapse of the global economy.
But the Hormuz strait is worth too much, for both Iran and the US.
Meanwhile, Israel, was doing its utmost to sabotage negotiations, as usual, targeting densely populated areas, as usual, killing children, as usual, and slaughtering mourners at funerals, as usual. Moreover, there is reason to fear that the Lebanese PM, and the Lebanese president are relinquishing sovereignty of their country to Israel. See also The Cradle. I see no discussions of this issue in the mainstream press.
European leaders are pusillanimous and hypocritical, also as usual. Typically, Sir Keir has now, under US pressure “paused” UK plans to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
You will know that the US has a military base there, Diego Garcia. The population of the entire Chagos Archipelago, mostly descendants of slaves brought to the Chagos Islands in the late 18th century were forcibly evicted from the islands between 1963 and 1971 to make room for the base. Why in Heaven’s name did the US have to have a military base there, of all places?
I ask you: Were you or your children or grandchildren (depending on your age) informed about this injustice at school? By the press, maybe?
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2019 and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (in 2021) both stated that the UK had an obligation to return the islands to Mauritius. (source as at 12/04/26)
Of course, neither the US nor Israel nor, it seems, the UK are particularly concerned about international law, Democracy or justice.
However, there is a sliver of hope on the horizon. Not all European leaders are sycophants and or hypocrites. Spain’s PM has dared say what others only dare think, referring to
“those who set the world on fire“
There are also faint signs that some countries are starting to wonder whether they should change horses. (With friends like the USA, who needs enemies?) Will there be a Taiwan turn-around?
Let’s hope that the Iranian delegates will be able to return home today without being targeted by homicidal maniacs.