Pakistan is running back and forth to Tehran trying to broker a ceasefire, but the whole thing is hanging by a thread because of the enriched uranium stockpile. Trump is out there saying his patience is basically gone, and the Strait of Hormuz is still a de facto toll booth for Iran. Five Gulf states had to write an urgent letter to the maritime authorities warning that Iran is just trying to force ships into their waters to shake them down for fees.
Uranium and control of strait of Hormuz key as talks to end US-Iran war continue
Pakistani mediators believe permanent ceasefire within reach although major points of disagreement remain
🇺🇸🇮🇷 Markets suddenly exploded the moment reports emerged that Pakistan’s army chief was heading to Iran.
At the exact same time:
-Oil collapsed
-The dollar dropped
-The S&P 500 ripped higherTraders immediately interpreted the move as a possible sign that backchannel… https://t.co/pNqfXwbKWr pic.twitter.com/unRACoAKJP
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 22, 2026
Grok:
A deal is possible if the incentives line up strongly enough—both sides have been exchanging proposals through Pakistan for months, and today’s market moves show traders pricing in progress on the Strait of Hormuz and sanctions relief.
But history (JCPOA collapse, proxy conflicts, verification fights) makes it a heavy lift. Hardliners on both ends and core demands on nukes/missiles won’t vanish overnight. Optimism is easy; durable compromise is rare. We’ll see if this round actually delivers.