Red Sea Truce Signals Possible Deal Between Washington, Tehran
Before US President Donald Trump announced that the Houthis had pledged to halt attacks on ships in the Red Sea, religious and political institutions in Tehran were already predicting a shutdown of navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait starting May 17.
This prediction coincided with celebrations by senior Iranian officials over the Houthis’ strike on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, at a time when negotiations with the US were stalled after three slow rounds.
The timing raises questions: does the ceasefire signal a loss of a key bargaining chip for Iran, or is it a calculated concession to improve its position ahead of resumed talks next week—especially amid reports that Tehran has requested direct negotiations as part of a broader deal?
On Tuesday, Trump announced the Houthis had agreed to cease their attacks on Red Sea shipping, prompting the US to immediately suspend its airstrikes. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed his country brokered the agreement, ensuring safe commercial navigation in the Red Sea.
A day before the truce, Ali Shamkhani, a senior member of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, hailed the Houthi attack on Ben Gurion as a “strategic blow” and evidence that the resistance front—from Lebanon and Gaza to Iraq and Yemen—was now in control.
Iranian newspaper Kayhan argued that the attack would strengthen Iran’s position in its negotiations with the US, undermine American threats, and thwart Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s efforts to derail diplomacy. The paper framed the strike as proof of Iran and its allies’ regional influence.
