Expert: The US and Iran face multiple practical obstacles in reaching a temporary ceasefire

Odaily Planet Daily News reports: Li Zixin, an assistant researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said that based on the current situation, the possibility of the U.S. and Iran reaching a temporary ceasefire is not impossible, but it is indeed fraught with difficulties. Even if such a deal is reached, it is more likely to be a stopgap measure rather than a reliable path toward a permanent ceasefire. First, the core demands of both sides are actually hard to reconcile. Iran views control of the Strait of Hormuz and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with a concentration of 60%, as the central strategic bargaining chip in negotiations, and it has already made clear that it will not give up these fundamental interests for a short-term ceasefire. The United States, meanwhile, requires Iran to reopen the strait and handle nuclear materials—substantively asking Iran to make unilateral concessions, and to set aside Iran’s core interest conditions in exchange for those short-term actions. This touches on Iran’s bottom line for sovereignty and security. Second, the trust foundation for negotiations is very weak. While Iran acknowledges that relevant information was exchanged between friendly countries and the United States, it denies that there were direct negotiations. At the same time, U.S. President Trump is both sending negotiation signals and continuing to issue military strike “ultimatums.” This “fight while talking” model is more akin to a strategy of maximum pressure and testing how much room the other side will concede, rather than genuinely seeking reconciliation. (CCTV News)