Trita Parsi, co-founder and executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, stated that the U.S. and Iran are "starting to get serious" about ending the war, with a "glimmer of hope" emerging. He noted that the Trump administration had previously indicated it would not lift sanctions even if the Strait of Hormuz remained open, but its stance has now softened and become more realistic. Parsi added that this does not guarantee an agreement, and the situation in the Gulf will influence negotiations but will not derail any potential deal at present.