THE first round of Iran–US peace negotiations in Islamabad ended without resolution.

Yet the inconclusiveness was not merely procedural; it reflected the deep fissures that have long defined relations between Washington and Tehran. As the world awaits the second round, the stakes are not only geopolitical but profoundly human. Peace has always been fragile, stitched together by treaties that sought to tame war. The Treaty of Westphalia (1648) redefined sovereignty in Europe after decades of bloodshed. The Camp David Accords (1978) brought Egypt and Israel to uneasy but lasting peace. The Good Friday Agreement (1998) ended sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Each milestone was born of exhaustion, compromise and recognition that survival demanded coexistence. The Islamabad talks, though inconclusive, belong to this lineage of attempts to wrestle peace from hostility.

The Iranian delegation arrived with a striking composition: every delegate had a PhD, representing expertise across law, economics, diplomacy, nuclear science and reconstruction. Empowered and autonomous, they did not consult their supreme leader during proceedings. Their preparation suggested seriousness of intent—a readiness to negotiate peace as equals. The US delegation, led by the Vice President, presented a different picture. Reports suggest the team consulted President Trump repeatedly and even received instructions from the Israeli Prime Minister. This constant tethering to external authority conveyed hesitancy, as if Washington’s negotiators were less........

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