THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly tested by military confrontations. The latest and most serious exchange began with the downing of a US Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz and escalated into American strikes on Iranian military targets and retaliatory Iranian attacks on US bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. While both sides continue to speak of diplomacy, events are moving in the opposite direction. US President Donald Trump’s reaction leaves little doubt about the mood in Washington. Accusing Iran of taking too long to negotiate, he declared........

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