India, May 25 -- The conversation between Executive Editor Shishir Gupta and Senior Anchor Aayesha Varma on Hindustan Times' "Point Blank" lays out a stark picture: the Middle East war may be pausing, but none of the core strategic questions around Iran, energy security, Israel's future, or the Indo-Pacific balance of power have been resolved.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to India comes with a bold claim: that an agreement between Washington and Tehran is "imminent," and that America will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. Yet, as Gupta underlines, nothing is done until it is on paper - and by that standard, the deal remains elusive.

The fundamental problem is the gap between what each side wants. For President Dona...