The United States and Iran have both signalled that they would prefer not to go back to the war that has been on hold since the ceasefire was announced on 8 April. Neither side has allowed the steady drumbeat of military exchanges between them to end the talks being mediated by Pakistan, Qatar and others. The US still has powerful naval and air forces within striking distance of Iran. It is safe to assume that the Iranian regime will have kept its forces on high alert and will be using the