Hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in the meantime are fading as efforts to restart talks have stalled and both Tehran and Washington have shown no willingness to budge.
Although Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi continued to mediate with countries over the weekend, US President Donald Trump canceled a planned visit to Islamabad by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
According to Pakistani government sources cited by Reuters, US forces have removed security equipment from the capital, a sign that a US mission for talks is not expected to return immediately.
Despite a ceasefire that has halted large-scale fighting, there has been no agreement to end a war that has killed thousands, sent oil prices soaring, fueled inflation and weighed on the global economic outlook.
Tehran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz while Washington has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Iran calls for lifting of naval blockade
Iran’s President Massoud Pezhekian said in a phone call with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that his country will not engage in “forced negotiations” under threats or blockade.
He said the United States would first have to remove obstacles before any meaningful negotiations could begin.
Nevertheless, Aragchi described his visit to Pakistan as “particularly productive”. He then traveled to Oman where he held talks with the country’s leader, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said.
The talks raised the issue of security in the Straits of Hormuz, with the Iranian Foreign Minister calling for the creation of a regional security framework without external interference.
According to Iranian media, Aragchi was due to return to Pakistan later on Sunday, before proceeding to Russia.
Trump: “A lot, but not enough”
Speaking from Florida, Donald Trump said he canceled the envoys’ mission because of the high cost and travel costs, deeming Tehran’s proposal inadequate.
“Iran offered a lot, but not enough,” he said.
A previous round of talks in Islamabad led by US Vice President Jay D. Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf ended without an agreement.
Following the cancellation of the talks, two US Air Force C-17 military transport aircraft left Pakistan carrying security personnel and equipment.
Trump: “Chaos in Iran’s leadership”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump asserted that he prevailed “” on the Iranian leadership.
“Nobody knows who’s in control, not even themselves. We have all the papers, they have none,” he wrote, adding that if Iran wants talks “all they have to do is call.”
For his part, Pezeskian said last week that “there are no hardliners or moderates” in Iran, stressing that the country remains united around its top leadership.
Escalation and Destabilization in the Middle East
The conflict has caused serious destabilization in the Middle East. Iran has launched attacks on neighboring Gulf countries, while clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon have flared up.
On Sunday, the Israeli army issued new evacuation orders for areas in southern Lebanon, calling on residents of seven towns to move beyond the so-called “security zone”, despite a ceasefire that has failed to fully end hostilities.
