On April 19, according to Al Jazeera, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Seyyed Khatibzadeh stated that Iran has not yet determined a date for a new round of face-to-face talks with the United States, and criticized the U.S. for refusing to abandon its "maximum pressure" demands.
Iran maintains that it will not open the Strait of Hormuz unless the United States ends its blockade of Iranian ports.
This statement by Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khatibzadeh is another concentrated manifestation of the ongoing “talk while fighting” approach and maximum pressure tactics between the U.S. and Iran over the nuclear issue, centering on leveraging the strategic Strait of Hormuz to deliver a firm counterresponse to America’s military blockade.
Iran: Using the Strait as leverage to force the U.S. to lift the blockade — by militarily blocking the global oil transport artery that carries about one-fifth of world oil shipments. Meanwhile, to mitigate international pressure, Iran’s blockade targets only specific vessels (such as U.S. and allied warships), preserving a “gray zone” allowing limited commercial shipping passage.
United States: Multi-dimensional "maximum pressure" — militarily deploying over 15 warships to enforce the blockade; economically launching the "Economic Fury" campaign to expand sanctions; diplomatically signaling optimism about nearing a deal, and applying psychological pressure through public statements.
The current situation remains in a high-risk stalemate, poised for escalation at any moment. Khatibzadeh’s remarks indicate that Iran has made the lifting of the blockade a prerequisite for resuming negotiations and reopening the strait. In the short term, both sides will continue intense competition between military deterrence and diplomatic negotiation, and the situation could rapidly escalate due to miscalculation by either party.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862913709231168/
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