Iran emerges as winner in ceasefire deal, gains control over Strait of Hormuz

Sachdev, in a conversation with ANI, said that Trump's rhetoric was opposed by his own Republican party.

"This ceasefire is absolutely welcome, especially since it arrived just one hour before the deadline for a potential attack on Iran. The world was sliding toward chaos, and tensions nearly reached a breaking point when President Trump threatened that an entire civilisation would die. That statement raised the stakes and brought immense pressure on Trump to step back," he said.

Sachdev said that even Pope Leo XIV said that the statement does not align with Christian values.

"His rhetoric was heavily criticised by members of his own Republican party, and even the Pope made an unprecedented statement--without naming Trump directly--noting that talk of eliminating an entire civilisation does not align with Christian values,' he said.

Sachdev further said that despite the relief, the ceasefire remains confusing.

"Despite the relief, the ceasefire remains confusing. The ten points currently under discussion are essentially maximalist demands from Iran. They include the removal of American bases from the region, the unlocking of frozen Iranian funds, and reparations for war damages. While Iran has stated it will not pursue nuclear weapons, there is no mention in the plan regarding their ballistic missile program," he said.

He said that several objectives by Trump are unmet.

"These sticking points make the upcoming two weeks of discussions in Islamabad--where Pakistan played a key role in enabling this agreement--incredibly crucial. Many objectives have yet to be met: the uranium has not been removed, and the regime change Trump once promised has not occurred," he said.

Sachdev said that Israel may find it difficult to keep the ceasefire up, as Israel has a history of breaking ceasefires.

"As of now, it seems Israel is following the lead of the United States and dialing down the conflict. However, Israel may find it difficult to maintain this status quo, particularly regarding Hezbollah in Lebanon. Given that the ten-point agreement includes Lebanon, any continued Israeli action against Hezbollah would indicate that the agreement has significant holes. Israel has a history of breaking ceasefires, so it will be important to see how they act in the coming days," he said.

Sachdev said that the ceasefire is a good development for India.

"For India, this development is crucial. We rely on the Strait of Hormuz for 20% of our crude oil and a significant portion of our LNG and LPG. While the opening of the Strait will have a soothing effect on global markets and prices, actual delivery will not return to normal immediately. It could take one to two months for supplies to stabilise," he said.

Sachdev said that now, the nature itself of the Strait of Hormuz is changing.

"Furthermore, the status of the Strait itself is changing. Previously treated like an international freeway, it may now operate under Iranian coordination with a potential toll of approximately $1 per barrel. This toll would reportedly be split between Iran and Oman, placing the Strait firmly under the shadow of Iranian influence," he said.

Sachdev said that Iran appears to be a clear winner in this conflict.

"In this conflict, Iran appears to be the winner. They stood up against a superpower and a mini-superpower like Israel, and despite taking a huge hit, the leadership did not dissolve or surrender. Instead, they consolidated and exhibited immense resilience," he said.

He added that through these negotiations, Iran has gained more control over the Strait of Hormuz than it had before.

"Through these negotiations, Iran has gained more control over the Strait of Hormuz than it had before the war. They have essentially created a third strategic bargaining chip to join their nuclear and ballistic missile programs, significantly strengthening their hand on the world stage," he said.

Earlier today, US President Donald Trump announced a temporary halt to the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, proposing a two-week, double-sided ceasefire window. Trump also indicated that a 10-point proposal put forward by Iran was "workable," signalling a possible diplomatic opening between the two long-time adversaries.

- ANI