After 47 years of Cold War and armed conflict, the direct meeting between the delegations of the United States and Iran held in Islamabad the other day was a major step in the process of confidence-building. The first round of their talks remained inconclusive, but it was expected that the two sides would resume dialogue to manage their conflicts in round two. However, given the complicated nature of U.S.–Iran conflicts, expecting the holding of round two so soon was not possible. Had the two sides worked on mending fences by establishing trust, things would have been different.

How can confidence-building measures (CBMs) cause a thaw in U.S.–Iran relations and transform the existing ceasefire into permanent peace? What sort of CBMs can Iran and the United States agree upon which can lead to an agreement ensuring lasting peace between the two countries? What are the impediments to path-breaking CBMs between Iran and the U.S., and how can these obstacles be removed? These are the questions raised by concerned circles to address the issues that led to 40 days of war, the holding of the first round of talks in Islamabad, and the subsequent ceasefire.

Confidence-building measures can be termed an innovative and creative approach to mending fences between the two countries. When the two sides are not on talking terms and their relations are marred by conflict, only by adopting CBMs can they, over time, achieve a positive transformation in their relations. For instance, CBMs adopted by the United States and the former Soviet Union to replace the Cold War with cooperation and peace are a case in point. Likewise, CBMs between China and Russia, and China and the United States, also led to a positive transformation in their relations.

For several years, India and Pakistan also adopted various military and non-military CBMs to ameliorate their ties, but over the last 15 years or so, confidence-building between the two erstwhile neighbours has failed to generate trust and goodwill. The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) by India in May 2025, following........

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