Islamabad is humming with behind-the-scenes diplomacy to turn this tentative pause into lasting peace.

Security is the name of the game in Iran these days, and a small huddle of men steeped in the defence of the regime are now seen as central to decision-making in the absence of a visible cleric.

The fragile truce faces significant obstacles.

Israel's parliament approved a draconian death penalty law last week that only applies to Palestinian prisoners, in a move that the UN says "would constitute a war crime"

Should the truce unravel, China has an interest in getting the two sides back to the table, but it would be a difficult task given Tehran's deep mistrust of the US and Israel.

Instead of the "no endless wars" they were promised, Americans were thrown into a disastrous war and were feeling the economic pinch at the gas pump

The historical lesson is obvious: follow North Korea's strategy to avoid the fate of Iraq and Libya.

More than 21 million Sudanese face acute food shortages, despite no shortage of arable land. With war in Iran sending the cost of fuel and fertiliser soaring, famines are now being declared

Cairo is feeling the impact of the war and fears that some longer-term consequences may be existential. Meanwhile, saviours are few and far between.

As the US-Iran war intensifies, it has drawn in non-state actors across the region. While Baghdad says it is not a party to the conflict, militias have stepped in on Tehran's side.