The prospects for US-Iran peace talks are bleak, but a narrow path to an agreement still exists.

Arab mediators revealed that Iran is privately more open to peace talks, and the US has temporarily removed Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi and Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf from the assassination list for four to five days to allow both sides to participate when negotiations begin. Mediators from Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan are pushing for a meeting between US and Iranian officials as early as this week. Both sides' post-war demands far exceed pre-war levels. Iran demands US compensation for war losses and the closure of its Middle Eastern military bases, as well as fees for international shipping companies to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The US, in turn, demands that Iran halt uranium enrichment, restore freedom of navigation in the Strait, restrict its missile program, and limit its support for regional militias. Analysts believe that if both sides deem the costs of war unbearable, there is still a narrow space for reaching a minimum ceasefire agreement first, followed by further negotiations to resolve the full agenda. Possible paths include Iran suspending uranium enrichment activities for several years, reaching a regional non-aggression pact in exchange for a phased easing of sanctions, while issues such as nuclear material disposal and missile programs would be left for later resolution. (Jinshi)