Promotional generalizations, to be followed by a panel discussion with The Economist's experts on the Middle East.
"If the leaks are true, America’s “peace deal” with Iran, to be signed in Switzerland on Friday, is a humiliating climbdown for President Donald Trump. Forget Iran’s “unconditional surrender”, which he once demanded. The deal promises the opening of the Strait of Hormuz (which, of course, was open before this war began) in exchange for offering Iran all kinds of financial goodies. Talks about how to limit the country’s nuclear programme have, once again, been kicked into the future. Thus begins a perpetual holding pattern that will feel all too familiar to Iran-watchers.
At first glance, then, it looks like America’s deal with Iran has taken us back to where we were before the war started. But the conversations I’ve had over the past few days have reaffirmed my sense that the conflict has, in fact, profoundly changed the Middle East."