Discussions are underway in the United States on whether to hold a second round of talks with Iran, and Iran has reiterated its willingness to negotiate.

According to AFP, on Wednesday, April 16, the United States announced it is considering the possibility of holding a second round of negotiations with Tehran, expressing an "optimistic outlook" toward reaching an agreement. Previously, Iran had threatened to block Red Sea shipping if the U.S. were to blockade Iranian ports. Iran has also reaffirmed its desire for dialogue.

White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt said on Wednesday, April 16: "We remain optimistic about the prospect of reaching an agreement." Meanwhile, Pakistan is actively working to mediate. The first round of talks held in Islamabad earlier failed to produce an agreement.

On the same day, Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir met with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi in Iran. Additionally, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and briefed him on Pakistan’s mediation efforts. This visit is part of a broader diplomatic tour that will also include trips to Qatar and Turkey.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed that "multiple messages have been exchanged through Pakistan over the past few days." However, he insisted on Iran’s key demand: the right to pursue a civilian nuclear program, stating that discussions could take place regarding the "level and type" of uranium enrichment.

Yet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel and the U.S. continue to share "complete alignment" on their objectives, including "abandoning Iran’s ability to conduct uranium enrichment within its territory."

Currently, the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, and since Monday, the U.S. has imposed a blockade on vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports. On Wednesday, U.S. military forces announced they had prevented 10 ships from departing Iranian ports. The U.S. claims that Iran’s economy relies on maritime trade for "90% of its activity." The U.S. also said it would intensify sanctions against Iran’s oil sector. In response, Iran’s military leadership warned that, in addition to the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea could also be blocked. Iran’s Supreme Leader’s advisor, Rezaei, also cautioned that if the U.S. attempts to "enforce laws" in the strait, Iran would sink American vessels.

On Wednesday, finance ministers from 11 countries—including the UK, Japan, and Australia—called for resolving the conflict "through negotiation," warning that the situation poses a threat to "global energy security, supply chains, and economic and financial stability." Nevertheless, early Thursday Asian markets saw stable oil prices and rising stock indices. In Wall Street, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes reached new highs on Wednesday, as investors bet on continued progress in negotiations.

On another front in the Middle East conflict: despite talks between the ambassadors of both countries in Washington on Tuesday, hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah—a Iran-aligned group based in Lebanon—continue unabated. On Wednesday, Netanyahu reiterated that "disarming Hezbollah" remains Israel’s top priority in negotiations with Lebanon.

Trump said in the evening of Wednesday that leaders from both sides would hold dialogue on Thursday—an historic step. He wrote on social media: "We are trying to create some space for de-escalation between Israel and Lebanon." However, he did not specify which leaders would be involved.

Yet a Lebanese official source told AFP that Lebanon was "unaware" of any upcoming contact with Israel and had received no official notification through formal channels.

Earlier, a senior U.S. official said President Biden welcomed the easing of tensions in Lebanon but clarified that the U.S. “has not demanded an immediate ceasefire.” Since early March, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and displaced over 1 million people.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862642737284427/

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