Washington is discussing the possibility of new negotiations with Tehran, declaring optimism regarding a deal following Iranian threats to block traffic in the Red Sea in response to a blockade of the Persian country’s ports. Iran reaffirmed its willingness to continue negotiating while the world awaits an extension of the ceasefire, in effect since April 8, and the end of a war that has caused thousands of deaths, primarily in Iran and Lebanon, while shaking the global economy.
Discussions are underway for a resumption of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, “but nothing is official” yet, the White House spokesperson stated on Wednesday. “But we are optimistic about the prospect of an agreement,” added Karoline Leavitt, following the failure of a first round of negotiations, also in Islamabad, on Sunday. The influential chief of the Pakistani army, Asim Munir, was received in Iran on Wednesday by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Tehran’s diplomatic spokesperson, Esmail Baghai, stated that “several messages had been exchanged through Pakistan” over the last three days.
However, he remained firm on a fundamental Iranian demand: the right to civil nuclear energy cannot be “taken away under pressure or through war,” opening the door only to debates regarding “the level and type of enrichment” of uranium. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured that Israel and the United States’ objectives regarding Iran “are identical,” specifically referring to the “abandonment of enrichment capacity inside Iran.”
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On the ground, Tehran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz, and Washington has imposed a blockade on ships coming from or destined for Iranian ports since Monday. The U.S. military announced on Wednesday that it had prevented ten ships from leaving Iranian ports. “U.S. forces have completely paralyzed Iran’s maritime trade,” stated the head of U.S. forces in the region, Brad Cooper, noting that about 90% of the Iranian economy depends on maritime trade.
If the United States “creates insecurity for Iran’s commercial ships and tankers,” it will constitute “the prelude” to a violation of the ceasefire, countered the chief of the Iranian armed forces command, General Ali Abdollahi. Iran will not allow “any export or import in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, or the Red Sea,” he added.
Furthermore, Mohsen Rezaei, advisor to the Iranian supreme leader, threatened to sink U.S. ships if they attempted to “play police” in the strait. Finance ministers from 11 countries, including the UK, Japan, and Australia, called for a “negotiated resolution” to the conflict, citing threats to global energy security and supply chains.
