President Donald Trump said U.S. negotiators will head to Pakistan on Monday for one more round of talks with Iran, raising hopes of extending a fragile ceasefire set to run out by Wednesday, whilst Washington and Tehran remain in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
Iran didn’t immediately confirm the talks but its chief negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, said in an interview aired on state television late Saturday that \u201cthere can be no retreat in the sector of diplomacy,\u201d while acknowledging a large gap remained between the perimeters.<\/p>\n
The White House said Vice President JD Vance, who led the primary round of historic face-to-face talks over 21 hours last weekend, would lead the U.S. delegation to Pakistan with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.<\/p>\n
Pakistani authorities began tightening security in Islamabad. A regional official involved within the efforts said mediators were finalizing preparations and U.S. advance security teams were on the bottom. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren\u2019t authorized to debate preparations with the media.<\/p>\n
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Iran on Saturday said it had received recent proposals from the USA. It was unclear whether either side had shifted stances on issues that derailed the last round of negotiations, including Iran\u2019s nuclear enrichment program, its regional proxies and control over the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s announcement repeated his threats against Iranian infrastructure which have drawn widespread criticism and warnings of war crimes. If Iran doesn\u2019t comply with the U.S.-proposed deal, \u201cthe USA goes to knock out each Power Plant, and each single Bridge, in Iran,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
Iran says transits of the Strait of Hormuz are \u2018unattainable\u2019<\/h3>\n
Ships remain unable to transit the critical waterway amid threats from Iran and a U.S. blockade on ships heading to and from Iranian ports. Tons of of vessels were waiting at each end for clearance.<\/p>\n
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One in all the worst global energy crises in a long time threatened to deepen. Roughly one-fifth of the world\u2019s oil trade normally passes through the strait, together with critical supplies of fertilizer for the world\u2019s farmers, natural gas and humanitarian supplies for places in dire need like Afghanistan and Sudan.<\/p>\n
Iranian officials earlier on Sunday held firm that ships wouldn\u2019t pass while the U.S. blockade remained in effect. \u201cIt’s unattainable for others to go through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot,\u201d Qalibaf said.<\/p>\n
In his post about talks, Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by firing at ships transiting the strait. Iran has called the U.S. blockade a violation, and foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Sunday called it an \u201cact of aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n
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