Hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in the US-Israeli war with Iran faded today, as efforts to renew negotiations stalled, and neither Tehran nor Washington showed much willingness to soften their stances, reports Reuters.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi returned from mediation talks in Pakistan, while US President Donald Trump canceled the planned visit of his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad.
Although the ceasefire halted full-scale fighting in the conflict, which began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, no agreement was reached on terms to end the war that has claimed thousands of lives, raised oil prices, fueled inflation and worsened the outlook for global growth.
Tehran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquid natural gas shipments normally pass, while Washington has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
Iran says US should lift naval blockade
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkiyan told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by phone that Tehran will not agree to “imposed negotiations” under threats or a blockade, according to a statement from the Iranian government.
He said the US first needs to clear obstacles, including a naval blockade, before negotiators can begin preparing the ground for an agreement.
Aragchi, however, described the visit to Pakistan as “very fruitful”.
After leaving Islamabad, he traveled to Oman – another mediator in the war – where he discussed ending the conflict with the leader of that country, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, state media reported. Then he should visit Russia.
Speaking in Florida before being rushed out of a White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington after a man opened fire on security personnel, Trump said he canceled his envoys’ visit because of too much travel and expenses for what he saw as an insufficient Iranian offer.
After the diplomatic trip was canceled, Iran “offered a lot, but not enough,” Trump said.
Trump claims that the Iranian leadership is in disarray
Trump wrote on the Truth Social network that there is “tremendous infighting and confusion” in the Iranian leadership.
“Nobody knows who’s in charge, including them. Also, we hold all the cards, they don’t have any! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!” he posted.
Pezeshkiyan said last week that there are no “hardliners or moderates” in Tehran and that the country stands unitedly behind its supreme leader. Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Aragchi reiterated that message in recent days.
The war has destabilized the Middle East, with Tehran attacking its neighbors in the Gulf, while fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has reignited.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday ordered the military to attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon heavily, his office said, further testing a US-brokered ceasefire there.
Earlier, White House spokeswoman Carolynn Leavitt said that the US has seen some progress from the Iranian side and that US Vice President JD Vance is ready to travel to Pakistan. Vance led the failed first round of talks in Islamabad this month.
