Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

Gulf Cooperation Council leaders met at an important summit in Jeddah on Tuesday to discuss the lessons learned in the Iran war and review progress in their collective efforts to cope with it.

The Strait of Hormuz should not be held hostage to the talks in Islamabad, which appear to be deadlocked. Hundreds of millions of people are seriously affected by its closure. Energy supplies and food security have been the first victims.

A catastrophe was averted on Tuesday night, when the US, Pakistan and Iran announced an agreement to stop the war for two weeks and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Yemen turned a new page with the formation of a new government last week. Led by former Foreign Minister Dr. Shaya Al-Zindani, it promised major economic, political and security reforms.