THEY came, they talked, they went away without a deal. The impasse on even the two most burning issues — a longer ceasefire and opening the Strait of Hormuz — is truly bad news for all. The impasse may still break. But even uncertainty is bad for the global economy, moving back from one abyss only to inch towards another. US obduracy, as always, was the key cause. A lesser one was the large agenda, with both foes coming with big teams to discuss all issues in one go. An initial focus on these two burning issues, among others, and a plan for future talks may have been more apt. Given especially the many past failures, lower-ranking officials on both sides and the mediators perhaps misread how much they must shrink gaps via prior backchannel talks before inviting big guns like J.D. Vance.

Will President Donald Trump resume war, as he keeps threatening? Despite rising global multipolarity, there is yet no global check on the US when it comes to its endless, senseless wars. But its internal multipolarity — the mismatch between its war aims and political and economic constraints at home are reflected in falling market indices and Trump’s ratings — may stop even an impulsive Trump stung by his failure to defeat Iran despite weeks of........

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