A fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran has brought a temporary halt to a six-week conflict that had pushed West Asia to the brink. Finalised just hours before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump, the agreement has created a narrow opening for diplomacy, with talks scheduled in Pakistan on Friday.
India has welcomed the ceasefire, and at the same time highlighted the urgency of continued dialogue.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the conflict had caused “immense suffering” and disrupted global trade and energy flows, reiterated that “de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy” remain essential. And underlined the importance of ensuring nonstop commerce through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, for its part, has linked the ceasefire to specific conditions. While agreeing to guarantee safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the truce, Tehran has maintained that the pause “does not signify the termination of the war.”
Its Supreme National Security Council warned that any misstep would be met with force, even as it pushed demands including compensation, withdrawal of US forces from the region, and resistance to limits on its nuclear and missile programmes.
Experts caution, however, that the ceasefire remains a tactical pause rather than a resolution. Mudassir Quamar, associate professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, described it as a “welcome development” but warned there is no guarantee of an end to the war.
He noted that key issues, including sanctions on Iran, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, and regional proxy groups, are likely to dominate the upcoming negotiations.
“While the Trump administration is keen to project victory, Iran too will push the narrative of its resilience,” he observed, adding that failure to reach an agreement within the two-week window could lead to a “disastrous” resumption of hostilities.
Another expert, Srikanth Kondapalli, Professor of China studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, highlighted the role of China in the background diplomacy.
“The ceasefire that was announced just before the deadline on April 7 set by the United States is welcomed by most countries. It is said China’s diplomatic efforts were on display in this mediation, as with Vice President Vance,” he said.
According to Kondapalli, “Foreign minister Wang Yi called up 26 countries, including Israel. Earlier China and Russia had vetoed at the UNSC a Bahrain proposal that was supported by 11 countries for opening up the Straits of Hormuz. It is interesting that China-Pakistan 5-point proposals announced earlier were reflected broadly in the ceasefire agreement.”
However, “Israel contends that Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire agreement. While this agreement provides a tentative truce in West Asia, it needs to be seen how this is going to be implemented.
Alongside military and diplomatic manoeuvres, Iran has also projected strength through its messaging. Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, and Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister, have taken assertive positions in public discourse And Seyed Mohammad Marandi and Hasan Ahmadian have aggressively challenged Western narratives in international media.
The coming days will test whether competing demands, from Iran’s conditions to US and allied strategic objectives, can be reconciled.
