I spoke to Beirut-based writer Sharmine Narwani, of The Cradle, after her colleague returned from meeting senior Iranian officials at the Ayatollah's funeral.
Those officials told her outlet directly: negotiations with the U.S. will not move forward unless the war in Lebanon is FULLY resolved. Not just slowed down.
Her read on the Lebanon-Israel deal: it can't hold. The Lebanese government, in her words, is "basically a Vichy government" doing whatever Washington and Tel Aviv ask.
She says the deal even contains secret annexes and war crimes exemptions the government can't say out loud.
On Israel: nearly 60% of Israelis now view civil war as a real threat, according to a poll The Cradle published. Almost 80% describe the past year as having been "horrible for society."
And on Iran's leverage: the Strait still isn't open, the strategic reserves run out in August, and Iran, she argues, hasn't come close to exhausting its options.
A fascinating conversation with @snarwani.
