Nigeria, June 29 -- The world heaved a sigh of relief when the United States and Iran announced a rapprochement, penultimate Friday, which halted the four-month old war that the former and Israel had waged against Iran. Four earlier attempts had ended up hollow. But the new agreement will span 60 days, in the first instance.

Plainly, the quelling of hostilities imposes enormous responsibilities on the belligerents: The Strait of Hormuz that had been under the stranglehold of Iran is now open for the free movement of oil vessels, while the US blockade against Iran has been lifted, with its Treasury Department's authorisation of the production, sale and delivery of Iranian oil within this armistice window, even to the US.

The pact, mediat...