Overview
- The Pakistan-brokered two-week pause, announced Wednesday, is already in dispute as Israel strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon and the White House says the truce does not include that front.
- Iran is keeping tight control of the Strait of Hormuz by requiring Revolutionary Guard approval for transits, with reports of new stoppages as Tehran protests the Lebanon attacks, while Washington demands an unconditional reopening.
- U.S. and Iranian delegations are due to meet in Islamabad on Friday, with clashes over whether Lebanon is covered, whether Iran may keep enriching uranium, and what happens to roughly 400 kilograms of highly enriched stock.
- Oil prices fell more than 10 percent after the pause and Brent was down about 16 percent on Wednesday, yet German drivers have not seen relief at the pump as officials note it can take three to six weeks for cheaper crude to reach retailers.
- Berlin is debating targeted consumer aid such as lower fuel taxes or a higher commuter allowance, and in Washington officials are reportedly weighing shifting some U.S. forces away from NATO countries seen as unsupportive, a step described as early-stage.