Glimmers of optimism appear to be emerging from the geopolitical storm of the Middle East. According to a joint statement by Pakistan and Qatar, acting as mediators, the delegations of the USA and Iran reached a first, critical understanding at the luxurious Bürgenstock resort in the Swiss Alps. Noting “encouraging progress,” the two sides agreed on the creation of mechanisms for ending hostilities in Lebanon and guaranteeing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, setting a 60-day “roadmap” for the definitive end of the war.
Iran, through its Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, spoke of “significant progress,” while the United States has not yet commented on the outcome of the talks. Bern, for its part, declared itself ready to support the process “within the framework of the tradition of offering good offices.” “Our goal is for our diplomacy to prove useful in de-escalation, stability, and peace,” states the announcement from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
This development comes to calm an explosive 24-hour period, where the situation in the Strait evolved into a dangerous game of impressions. Initially, Tehran announced once again the closure of the Strait, accusing the USA of tolerating Israeli strikes in Lebanon. Donald Trump’s response was blunt: “Close them and you will no longer have a country,” the American president conveyed, at the very moment Vice President JD Vance was sitting at the negotiating table.
On the other hand, US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, together with CENTCOM, denied the Iranian narrative, emphasizing that 67 ships crossed the Strait in the last 24 hours, guided by the US Navy through a safe corridor away from Iranian mines.
Despite the diplomatic truce, nervousness in the shipping industry remains evident. Analysis firms, such as Ambrey and Windward, recorded a noticeable drop in maritime traffic. The fear is so visible that most ships pass with their tracking systems turned off to avoid becoming targets. Now, the big bet is whether the technical talks in the coming days and the roadmap will convince shipping companies to return without hesitation to the planet’s most critical energy hub.
