U.S.-Iran peace talks on hold as both sides dig in and Strait of Hormuz remains closed

Fate of U.S- islamic republic of iran ceasefire unclear forward of deadline

Last-minute ceasefire talks betwixt the United States and Iran looked unsure Tuesday as a two-week truce was set to expire and both countries warned that, without a deal, they were prepared to resume fighting.

U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, expected to lead American negotiators if talks continue in Pakistan, remained in Washington on Tuesday, a White House official said. And Pakistan, which has been urging both sides to return to Islamabad, said it was still awaiting confirmation on Iran's participation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi ‌said Tuesday the U.S. Blockade ​of Iranian ports ​was an "act of war" ​and thus ⁠a ⁠violation ‌of the ceasefire.

"Iran knows how ⁠to neutralize restrictions, how to ‌defend its interests and how to resist ​bullying," ⁠he said ⁠in a ⁠post ⁠on X.

Blockading Iranian ports is an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire. <br>Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation.<br><br>Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying.

Both sides remain dug in rhetorically, with U.S. President Donald Trump warning that "lots of bombs" will "start going off" if there's no agreement before the ceasefire deadline, and Iran's chief negotiator saying that Tehran has "new cards on the battlefield" that haven't yet been revealed.

The ceasefire seemed likely to be extended if talks resume. White House officials have said that Vance would lead the American delegation, but Iran hasn't said who it might send, and Iranian state television on Tuesday broadcast a message saying that "no delegation from Iran has visited Islamabad … so far."

Asked if he would extend the ceasefire if there's progress in the next round of Iran talks, Trump said, "Well, I don't want to do that. We don't have that much time."

He said Iran "had a choice" and "they have to negotiate," in an interview with CNBC.

But it remained unclear when the ceasefire actually expires. Tuesday night was the deadline when the pause was announced two weeks ago, but Trump told Bloomberg News the ceasefire will expire Wednesday night.

"Well, I expect to be bombing because I think that's a better attitude to go in with," Trump said. "But, you know, we're ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Said its forces boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia on Tuesday. The Pentagon said in a social media post that U.S. Forces boarded the M/T Tifani "without incident."

The U.S. Military did not say where the vessel had been boarded, though ship-tracking data showed the Tifani in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia on Tuesday.

The statement added that "international waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels."

The U.S. Military on Sunday seized an Iranian cargo vessel, the first interception under blockade of Iranian ports. Iran's joint military command called the armed boarding an act of piracy and a violation of the ceasefire.

The U.S. Has instituted a blockade of Iranian ports to pressure Tehran into ending its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane through which 20 per cent of the world's natural gas and crude oil transits in peacetime.

Iran's iron grip on the strait has sent oil prices soaring, and Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at close to $95 US per barrel on Tuesday, up more than 30 per cent from Feb. 28, the day that Israel and the U.S. Attacked Iran to start the war.

Before the war began, the Strait of Hormuz had been fully open to international shipping, and Trump has demanded that vessels again be allowed to transit unimpeded through the waterway.

European Union transportation ministers were meeting in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss how to protect consumers after the head of the International Energy Agency warned that Europe has " maybe six weeks " of jet fuel supplies remaining.

Trump 'in no rush' to secure deal with Iran, says White House reporter | Hanomansing Tonight

Over the weekend, Iran said that it had received new proposals from Washington, but also suggested that a wide gap remains between the sides. Issues that derailed the last round of negotiations included Iran's nuclear enrichment program, its regional proxies and the strait.

Iran's chief negotiator and parliamentary speaker, Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, accused the United States on Tuesday of wanting Iran to surrender and said that on the contrary, Iran has been preparing "to reveal new cards on the battlefield."

"We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats," Qalibaf wrote in an X post.

Security has been tightened across Pakistan's capital, where authorities have deployed thousands of personnel and increased patrols along routes leading to the airport.

The arrangements appear stricter than those put in place during the first round of talks held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, suggesting the possibility of high-level participation, if negotiations make progress, said Syed Mohammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security analyst.

"Pakistan appears to be preparing for the possibility of visits by top U.S. And Iranian leaders if the talks advance to a stage where an agreement could be signed," he told The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, historic diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon were set to resume on Thursday in Washington, an Israeli, a Lebanese and a U.S. Official said. All three spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the behind-the-scenes negotiations.

The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors met last week for the first direct diplomatic talks in decades. Israel says the talks are aimed at disarming Hezbollah and reaching a peace agreement with Lebanon.

A 10-day ceasefire began on Friday in Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants broke out two days after the U.S. And Israel launched joint strikes on Iran to start the war. Fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 2,290 people.

Since the war started, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran, according to authorities. Additionally, 23 people have died in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 U.S. Service members throughout the region have been killed.

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