All right, coming back to the Strait of Hormuz. Germany is prepared to send minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz, which they had promised even earlier back in March that they will be sending it once their Parliament clears it. Meloni has said that Italy is ready to deploy naval units to the Gulf region. Now, Germany also wants US involvement, while France has argued for an operation that does not involve the warring parties. Now, Trump has snubbed NATO over help. Do you think a NATO operation is possible without the United States with this naval blockade is still in place?

Well, the Iranian statement about opening the straits is essentially only for the time of the ceasefire and it depends if it's going to be an agreement or not. If there is no going to be agreement, they can close it again. Um it's a lot of posturing. For European naval ships to be there, it will take at least 2 weeks. I think and apparently the US blockade is not complete it's not in fully hermetic. There are some ships that can move in small numbers back and forth. So yes, it's going to be open but Iran insists on their sovereignty on the straits. They remove it now as I understand it they're not asking for the fee for the time being but they make it very much clear this is their straits and we'll

see what's going to be. That's going to be also discussed in Pakistan. We'll see. But I think for now and this was held for the response in the market and that's the reason why the barrel of oil the price went significantly down was that there is traffic there is a movement and for now the straits are open. Also, the timing of these talks if they do happen on Monday, it happens at a very interesting time is right the day before the ceasefire comes to an end. Now, last time it talked the talks took place there was people were expecting the ceasefire to extend. Do you think that is a possibility in this Monday's talks because this seems like a talk between US and Iran that cannot be

solved in even in 21 hours, I would say. I fully agree with you. I expect it to be extended possibly even longer than 2 weeks. I think the president needs to give the market and the domestic constituency in the US a sense that this war is over. He was saying it. I don't think he has any appetite to go back to bombing. So, I think that he's from position that essentially the war is over and I believe extension will be given. Also, India's Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that New Delhi has been invited to join this discussions led by France and the UK and on securing the Strait of Hormuz.

According to you, what role do you think India can play if NATO does invite India in their mission to secure the Strait? It's interesting. Obviously, it give elevate India's status in this conversation into one of those powers who are involved in this kind of arrangement. Give you it status of kind of another broker in this discussions. Um India gets some of its oil from through the straits, not all of it of course but some of it. As you know, the United States also continued to remove the sanctions over ships that

takes the Russian oil. So, that's another element in that. Um I think it's it's it's an effort to give this arrangement some kind of international legitimacy and India is a very much a big player and in India is going to be part of that sense of legitimacy, international legitimacy. Also, just because you mentioned Russia, US administration has now extended this waiver allowing sale of Russian oil that are already at sea by one more month. What do you make of this timeline because of course the talks are happening on Monday. The ceasefire is till Tuesday. And this waiver has been extended one more month. Now, of course Scott presented said that there would be no renewal of this waiver but

it has indeed happened. This one month of period, do you think that is indeed happening because of course the ceasefire is to end and the Monday talks will happen and so even the US is unclear whether how long will this conflict go on for. I think it's very much the spirit of de-escalation. It's a message of de-escalations and essentially the war is over and we're looking for reasonable arrangement to go back to normal. And I think that being conciliatory for Russia on this, maybe it could be helpful in the effort to resume conversation about Ukraine. I that's the way I read it. All right, well of course we'll have to wait and see all the developments. It keeps happening every moment. Thank you so much Dr. Cohen for joining us on

broadcast and giving your perspective. Bye.