BRUSSELS, June 24 /TASS/. Iran has emerged from the recent hostilities in a stronger position than the United States due to its control over the Strait of Hormuz, according to Wendy Sherman, former head of the negotiating team for the nuclear deal with Tehran and former US Deputy Secretary of State.
"Better to have talks than not. <...> Iran has certainly put itself in a stronger position. They can close the Strait of Hormuz at any point that they want," she said in an interview with Euronews.
In Sherman's view, this stronger position allows Iran to dictate the terms of peace in Lebanon. However, she dodged the host's question about whether Iran could be considered the winner of the conflict. She added that Tehran had demonstrated resilience and shown that it could not be broken by force.
Sherman believes that these developments underscore the importance of diplomacy and the futility of continuing military action.
Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. On June 21, US-Iran talks on implementing the memorandum took place in Burgenstock, Switzerland, with mediation from Doha and Islamabad.
According to a joint statement issued by Pakistan and Qatar after the first round of negotiations, the meeting took place in a positive and constructive atmosphere. The parties made encouraging progress, including laying the groundwork for further technical talks.
Later, the US Senate passed a resolution calling for an end to the war with Iran.