The Iranian press claims that the United States has “excessive demands” in relation to the Strait of Hormuz, an important channel for global oil transit and whose opening is a central requirement for Washington.
Negotiations between the two countries began in Islamabad, Pakistan, this Saturday, the 11th. The White House and Iranian officials confirmed that the talks are being held directly, with the presence of Pakistani officials.
After more than five hours of talks, the negotiations already had two pauses and were resumed for a third round of talks, according to the Iranian state agency.
The United States is being represented by Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Iran arrived in the capital of Pakistan with a delegation of 70 people, led by the President of Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
The meeting comes days after the announcement of a fragile two-week ceasefire in a war that has left thousands dead and has impacted global markets as it enters its seventh week.
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Iran has effectively blocked passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and its reopening was the focus of an ultimatum from Trump, who said he would annihilate an “entire civilization” if Tehran did not reopen the strait – Washington also wants Iran to give up its nuclear project and ballistic missile arsenal.
Iran has announced that it wants to maintain control of the crossing and demands that the United States withdraw its forces from all bases in the region and wants to preserve the Iranians’ right to continue nuclear enrichment.
Iranian state television stated that, in the meeting with Pakistani officials, the Iranian delegation presented its terms for ending the conflict. The demands also include compensation for damage caused by joint US-Israeli attacks and the release of the country’s frozen assets.
Before the meetings, Iran’s first vice president, Mohammad Reza Aref, said on social media that if Israeli interests are prioritized in negotiations, “there will be no deal.”
Amid negotiations with Iran, Trump posted on the social network Truth Social that Iran’s military had been destroyed and Washington had begun the process of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
It was not clear from the post whether Trump was referring to the possible use of mines in the Strait of Hormuz or Iran’s broader ability to control the area.
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“We are now beginning the process of cleaning up the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to countries around the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and many others,” Trump posted. “Unbelievably, they don’t have the courage or the will to do this work on their own.”
What is the importance of Lebanon?
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told Iranian state television that a ceasefire in Lebanon is a “fundamental requirement” during the Iranian delegation’s meeting with Pakistani officials.
Israel continued attacking Lebanon after the announcement of a ceasefire last week between the US and Iran. Pakistan had pointed out that the country was included in the truce agreement, but Israeli officials denied the information.
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Baghaei described the talks as a “particular moment” for Iran and framed the diplomacy as a “continuation of defense and a continuation of war.”
“An intense struggle is underway on the diplomatic front,” he said.
Impacts of the war
The war began on February 28, with attacks by the US and Israel against Iran. The attacks resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the conflict soon spread to neighboring countries.
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It was the second time in less than a year that President Trump directly involved the US in a military conflict with Tehran.
The Republican justified the confrontation as part of an effort to incite the Iranians to overthrow their theocratic leadership, but the war escalated and turned into a regional conflict that resulted in thousands of deaths, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, but also in the Gulf countries and Israel. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes, and the global economy was severely shaken.
The war has virtually paralyzed the flow of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes, and damaged oil and gas production facilities across the Middle East.
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In response, oil prices soared around the world. Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, has gone from around $70 per barrel before the war to more than $119 at times.
