The prospects for U.S.-Iran negotiations remain unclear. Just hours before the two-week ceasefire deadline initially set by Trump expired on Wednesday, he announced an extension of the ceasefire between the two countries, as well as an extension of the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Vance postponed his trip to Pakistan for a new round of talks. A Pakistani official familiar with the situation said that day that Pakistan “had already prepared for negotiations and everything was ready,” but the suspension of talks was “an unexpected setback.” Trump told reporters that the negotiations “could possibly” resume as early as Friday—but his timelines are often subject to significant discounting. Iran’s state television reported that Iran had not yet responded to Trump’s extension of the ceasefire, including whether its military would abide by the ceasefire terms. The already fragile ceasefire now appears even more precarious. On the same day, Iran fired upon three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and seized two of them, escorting them to Iranian shores. Meanwhile, the United States has deployed Ukrainian anti-drone technology at a base in Saudi Arabia to compensate for gaps in its air defense capabilities.
Given that Trump continues to maintain the U.S. Navy’s blockade of Iran’s maritime trade, Iran’s Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator, Kalibaf, stated on X that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is “impossible” under the current circumstances where the ceasefire has been broken. He said: “A comprehensive ceasefire only makes sense if maritime blockades and economic coercion cease, and if Zionism stops inciting war on all fronts.” He added: “They have failed to achieve their goals through military aggression, and they cannot achieve them through bullying either.” He emphasized that “the only way forward is to recognize Iran’s national rights.” As the conflict approaches its two-month mark, the prospect of finding a way out in the short term is fading, and oil prices could become an even greater political burden for the White House ahead of the midterm elections.
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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863233348869131/
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