Are US-Iran peace talks still on the table?

The Briefing explores the fragile state of US-Iran peace talks set to take place in Islamabad, with tensions escalating after the US Navy seized an Iranian cargo vessel attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Monocle's security correspondent Garana Gergich explains that Iran is refusing to attend the talks, viewing them as a potential trap for a US military strike, while the US remains committed to sending a delegation. The core issues—nuclear sanctions, frozen assets, and the status of the Strait of Hormuz—remain unresolved, with both sides deeply divided on sequencing and trust. The episode also covers a range of global developments: a powerful earthquake off Japan triggering tsunami warnings, a Chinese aircraft carrier's passage through the Taiwan Strait, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer facing scrutiny over a vetting failure, and a vibrant preview of Milan's Salone del Mobile, where design is increasingly intertwined with art, literature, and performance. In South Africa, the Democratic Alliance welcomes a new leader, Jordan Hill Lewis, amid ongoing racial and political challenges, while the appointment of a white Afrikaner ambassador to Washington aims to ease tensions with the Trump administration. Meanwhile, endurance swimmer Karen Kennedy completes a 30-kilometer swim between mainland South Africa and Robben Island—credited in part to rooibos tea—and the Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva showcases extravagant, artistic timepieces, from a chessboard watch with a hidden timepiece to Audemars Piguet’s romantic, nature-inspired designs. Despite global instability, the mood at the watch fair was jubilant and optimistic.