One day after Iran announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to merchant vessels, its military declared the waterway closed again. As Iran strengthens its stance, accusing the United States of blockading the strait as "piracy," at least two ships attempting to pass through this vital chokepoint were shot at. Iran's military said on Saturday that 23 vessels had turned back toward Iran since the U.S. began blocking the Strait of Hormuz, complying with American demands. A senior Iranian official stated that the date for the next round of negotiations between Iran and the U.S. has not yet been determined.
According to U.S. officials, Trump held a meeting in the White House Situation Room on Saturday morning to discuss the renewed escalation of the Hormuz crisis, progress in talks with Iran, and related issues. Attendees included Vance (expected to participate in the next round of negotiations with Iran), Rubio, Heggseth, Besent, Wiles, Witkoff, Ratcliffe, and Dan Cain. The situation has now reached a critical stage: the current temporary ceasefire is set to expire in three days, while no date has been established for the next round of U.S.-Iran talks. A senior U.S. official said that if no breakthrough is achieved in the short term, war could erupt again within days. This week, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir mediated between Iran and the U.S. in Tehran. On Saturday, Trump stated that the U.S. remains engaged in "very good" dialogue with Iran. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that the U.S. had presented a new proposal during negotiations, which Iran is currently reviewing but has not yet responded to.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862873757174026/
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