Attention to the Unseen

Reuters reports: A $300 billion private fund designed ​to trigger investment into Iran is outlined in the U.S.-Iran framework agreement and more than half that sum has already been committed, a source with ‌direct knowledge of the deal told Reuters. The fund is designed to give both sides an economic incentive to conclude a final deal, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not yet been announced as Washington and Tehran prepare to sign…

Read More Read More

Richard Meade writes: The U.S.-Iran agreement has injected a rare moment of relief into a region where merchant seafarers have paid the highest price. But while the headlines trumpet de‑escalation, the maritime sector is treating the news with something closer to wary disbelief than celebration. The Strait of Hormuz may be reopening, but the rules of engagement — literal and political — remain murky. The industry is still waiting for clarity on the administrative and practical arrangements governing the strait,…

Read More Read More

Reuters reports: The United Arab Emirates has agreed to unlock billions of dollars for Iran, four sources said, ​in a tactical shift after weeks of Iranian attacks on the wealthy Gulf Arab state during the U.S.-Israeli war with the Islamic Republic. Word of the move, which has not ‌been previously reported, coincides with the final stages of broader negotiations between Tehran and Washington on ending the war, talks that diplomats say could involve the release of tens of billions of…

Read More Read More

The Wall Street Journal reports: The U.S. and Iran are entering a risky new phase of conflict in which both sides are attempting to maintain pressure and respond to provocations without returning to all-out war, but with an ever-present danger of stumbling across each other’s red lines and triggering a dangerous escalation. Recent days of hostilities showed how close the two foes have come to the edge even while trying to keep their military actions measured. Iran struck directly at…

Read More Read More