Barely weeks after the United States and Iran signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, an interim deal intended to end hostilities and create a framework for a broader settlement, the agreement is in jeopardy.

The immediate trigger appears to have been disputes over the interpretation of the MoU’s provisions governing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Yet the renewed confrontation is not simply another chapter in the rivalry between Washington and Tehran. It has evolved into a three-party strategic contest in which Tel Aviv’s calculations also influence the pace and direction of events.

Israel has never concealed its willingness to prevent any US-Iran accommodation. From its perspective, even a temporary understanding risks reducing pressure on Tehran while leaving “unresolved concerns” over Iran’s regional influence and nuclear issue. Recent reports suggest that Tel Aviv has been “coordinating” with Washington while simultaneously warning Tehran against retaliation. Israel’s strategic intentions differ from those of parties seeking to preserve regional stability.

This matters because the MoU was always less a peace agreement than a ceasefire held together by political convenience. It rested upon ambiguous........

© The Frontier Post (Editorial)