Iran rules out US talks for the time being

Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei announced on Monday that his country will not be sending negotiators to Pakistan for talks with the United States. This decision comes as tensions between the two nations rise ahead of the ceasefire deadline, set to expire on Wednesday.

Baghaei stated that Washington had “violated the ceasefire from the beginning of its implementation”, citing the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since April 13 and the overnight capture of an Iranian container ship by the US military as breaches of the truce and international law. He also warned that if the US and Israel launched aggression again, Iranian forces “will respond accordingly”.

Baghaei reiterated that Tehran’s 10-point proposal, submitted before the first round of Islamabad talks, remains its basis for any negotiation. He stated that the US is not learning from experience and that this will never lead to good results.

Pakistan officials remain cautiously hopeful that they can bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. The country has been gearing up to host the second round of talks between the US and Iran aimed at ending their war.

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his representatives were heading to Pakistan for a second round of negotiations with Iran. Trump stated that his representatives would be in Islamabad, Pakistan, tomorrow evening for negotiations. He also accused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement after Iranian gunboats fired on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

The tensions did not ease overnight. In the early hours of Monday, Trump announced that the US Navy guided missile destroyer USS Spruance had intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, the Touska, nearly 900 feet long, in the Gulf of Oman after its crew refused to heed warnings to stop.

Source: Al Jazeera