Toward a Real Cease-Fire Between Washington and Tehran

Foreign Affairs argues that a lasting end to the United States–Iran war won’t come from unilateral demands or a bare pause; Tehran has rejected the U.S. 15-point plan and expanded the fight with proxies, so any durable cease-fire requires a broad mediation coalition (led by Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, with China) to push de-escalation, secure the Strait of Hormuz, and offer credible security guarantees plus limited economic incentives. Negotiations should follow a genuine halt in hostilities, not precede it, and must aim for a longer-term nonaggression pact to prevent a relapse into war.