The game has shifted again. Word from Whitehall this afternoon is that a US-Iran backchannel has yielded results. Ships in the Strait of Hormuz are moving.
British tankers, held in a tense standoff for weeks, are now under Royal Navy escort. The deal, if you can call it that, is fragile. A classic Washington-Tehran fudge.
Details are scarce, but sources in the Foreign Office whisper that a prisoner swap and frozen assets are involved. The Prime Minister’s office is playing this close to the chest. No official statement yet, but the mood in Number 10 is one of cautious relief.
The backbenchers, however, are restless. Hardliners on both sides of the House are sharpening their knives. This is a win for the diplomats, but the political cost is yet to be counted.
Stay tuned. The next 48 hours will be brutal.
