Iran’s claim that it has closed the Strait of Hormuz is raising new questions about the future of a shaky agreement with the United States, even as both sides prepare for another round of talks.
Iran said Saturday it had closed the strategic waterway following Israeli attacks in Lebanon and what it describes as a U.S. failure to uphold commitments under the agreement.
The United States disputed the claim, saying Iran does not control the strait and that commercial traffic continued to move through the area.
The developments came as Iranian officials head to Switzerland for talks on what could eventually become a broader agreement. U.S. Vice-President JD Vance also departed for Switzerland on Saturday.
Alan Eyra, a former U.S. diplomat, believes lasting peace remains a long way off.
“We’re nearly at the starting line. It’s going to be a long, fragile process,” Eyra told Global News Saturday morning.
“I was not surprised. Israel was not a signatory to the deal and wants to continue the fight against Hezbollah and indeed against Iran.”
For security expert Christian Leuprecht, the tensions aren’t surprising.
“They couldn’t even agree on signing this agreement,” he told Global News. “I think this will be heavy lifting.”
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Leuprecht, who is also director of the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University, said the two sides appear to be pursuing different objectives.
“The United States wants a deal with Iran and Iran is trying to make this into a broader deal that includes its proxies in the region,” he said. One of those groups is Hezbollah.
The uncertainty comes as fighting continues in Lebanon. Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 16 people Saturday, according to Lebanese officials, while Israel said Hezbollah launched more than 50 projectiles at its forces overnight.
Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a signatory to the agreement between the United States and Iran.
“This ceasefire is fragile. And as we’ve seen is coming and going routinely.” Eyra said.
Calling the situation “complicated,” Leuprecht said U.S. President Donald Trump’s broader objective is to reshape America’s relationship with Iran while reducing the amount of military resources devoted to the Middle East.
“The United States keeps getting tied down in the Middle East with its military assets when it really should be deploying those military assets to the Indo-Pacific to contain China,” he said.
Leuprecht also argued that the conflict has exposed challenges for the United States in achieving its strategic objectives.
“The problem is, Iran has significantly weakened the U.S.,” he said. “The entire world can see that even with this mighty U.S. military, the U.S. cannot achieve its strategic objectives, at least it cannot do it alone.”
He added that the conflict could have broader implications for the international system.
“So what we’re going to see is a much more decentralized world. It’s a world that’s going to be even less wedded to the rules-based international order and that is going to be even more volatile as a result,” Leuprecht said.
He said countries such as Canada may eventually face difficult decisions about how actively they want to shape global affairs.
“If we don’t like the results that we’re seeing from the United States, then perhaps we shouldn’t be doing more of the usual,” he said.
Eyre was also skeptical negotiators would be able to reach a final agreement within the 60-day timeline outlined in the memorandum of understanding.
“The 60-day timeline is ridiculous,” he said.
“There’s no way that there’s going to be a negotiated agreement within 60 days, possibly within 120 days. My own personal belief is that the U.S. and Iran will not be able to negotiate an agreement on the nuclear issue.”
As negotiators prepare for talks in Switzerland, major questions remain about whether the interim agreement can evolve into a lasting deal.
Like I’ve said simple minds only see simple solutions to simple problems.
The Middle East is Super complicated!
Israel has been attacked by it neighbors since it first existed. Now the country attacking is Iran.
Fact
Israel and Saudi Arabia and Israel are Iran’s sworn enemies.
Iran has surrounded them with it’s own forces, Hamas, Hothies and Hezbollah.
Fact
Iran’s nuclear program is NOT peaceful. It has a single light water reactor for power generation. You don’t put enriched uranium higher than 5% in one. Even Iran admits it has over 400kg of uranium enriched to 60 %. 90% is weapons grade.
The US has over 120 Nuclear reactors, Canada has about 20. Not all use enriched Uranium. The US has 1 enrichment facility to supply Canada and the US. Iran had 4 enrichment facilities enriching to 60% level for its 1 small reactor. Sound peaceful?
Iran has given Israel a choice.
Dead Israelies in Israel or dead Arabs in other countries. If you ran Israel, which would you pick?
Israel still has a major flaw which contributes to this awful state of affairs. Their PURE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION electoral system. While parties receive seats based on their electoral results it leas to tons of extreme fringe parties. This necessitates Minority coalition governments where the extreme parties exact a great amount of power and influence for their votes.
There will be an election in Israel this year, just watch how it turns out.
I would love to hear a debate on these points, but I’m sure what we will hear is insults and 1 sentence hate filled slogans. You will only prove me right!
When will Carney opine on what he would do for solutions for the Iran police action. Fence sitting and virtue signalling doesn’t cut the mustard.
Iran will never stick to any deal. They never have, so I see no reason they ever will.
You know its really bad when you believe Iran over u.s…mmm not really
Vietnam part 2…
Trump is my beeetch.
He thinks he will reopen anything?
We just bomb kids in Lebanon again.
Maria the troll russkie:
our PM in this article stupid?
You see our Canada in this article dumb ass?
LOL @ trump’s trolls here.
In case you missed it, here is the current score:
Camel riders 2 trump 0
sort of like the russian army iN Afghanistan:
Camel riders 4 Putin 0
Just nuke em
@ STOP THE GENOCIDE!! LMAO at your ignorance of world affairs and history. You have absolutely no clue what is actually happening, and has happened, in the middle east. All you have is a brain washed in slogans that are lies to begin with. Get a life you loser.
Stars and Stripes
June 21, 2026 at 9:40 am
Trump and Hegseth doing an amazing job on Iran.
This is a sick, sick individual. Anyone, troll, bot, human who supports Trump, Netanyahu, or Iran is a sick, sick entity.
cocsuckers
Some people are just not with it, still supporting Trump and his clowns !
Meanwhile Carney is Nanaimo hanging with locals and telling them to be Elbows Up. What a joke he is.
Trump and Hegseth doing an amazing job on Iran.
Hopefully not a “Canadian” expert. All Canada is good at is virtue signalling.
Save the Freedom Fries and drop A Freedom Potato
June 21, 2026 at 2:13 am
Can’t script a deal with terrorists using anything other than a supersonic lead pencil.Its all they understand.
All of these “negotiations” are nothing more than a facade for the Iranian leadership to restock and return to it’s unchanging agenda.
That goes for Nuttyyahhoo and the killer jews as well. Nuke the whole effing works. And any supporters.
Clown war
Can’t script a deal with terrorists using anything other than a supersonic lead pencil.Its all they understand.
All of these “negotiations” are nothing more than a facade for the Iranian leadership to restock and return to it’s unchanging agenda
Israel’s founders razed or forced the evacuation of over 500 Palestinian towns and villages. And they are now doing the same in southern Lebanon including Christian towns, and Tyre which has been populated for 5 thousand years.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH
Donny thinks everything is a property deal (get it on paper and screw em in the end) bankrupt 1/2 doz. times…’ yeah I can run the world”.
What if someone gave you $100,000,000 dollars – no strings, no questions…is that the type of argument that might change your opinion?
We thought Bush Jr was a moron but this guy is simply incompetent….. nonetheless Canada has incompetent MP’s and premiers from coast to coast and our own incompetent leader.
At some point we ALL HAVE TO address this MASSIVE PARASITE INFESTATION
The rich are at fault. No argument exists that could change my opinion.