Trump says US delegation will journey to Islamabad on Monday, Iran declines talks

Iran isn’t planning to take part in new peace talks with the ​United States, its state information company reported on Sunday, hours after US President Donald Trump had mentioned he was sending envoys to Pakistan for talks and would strike Iran until it accepted his phrases.

“Iran stated that its absence from the second round of talks stems from what it called Washington’s excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade, which it considers a breach of the ceasefire,” ​Iran’s official IRNA information company wrote.

Trump ‌mentioned the US navy had taken management of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship by blowing a gap in its engine room.

Read extraMiddle East struggle stay: Trump says US seized Iranian ship close to Strait of Hormuz

“We have full custody of their ⁠ship, and are seeing what’s on board!” he wrote on social media.

The US has stored a blockade of Iranian ports in place, whereas Iran has lifted after which reimposed its personal blockade of marine site visitors by the Strait of Hormuz, which earlier than the struggle started nearly two months in the past ‌dealt with roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil provide.

Iran’s announcement that it will stroll away from negotiations got here after Trump mentioned his envoys would arrive in Islamabad on Monday ⁠night, someday earlier than a two-week ceasefire ends.

Vance to once more lead talks

A White House official had mentioned the US delegation could be headed by Vice President JD Vance, who led the struggle’s first peace talks every week in the past, and in addition embody Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump had individually instructed ABC News and MS Now that Vance wouldn’t ​go.

The obvious diplomatic setback may set the stage for a renewed surge in oil costs when markets reopen after the weekend. Now in its eighth week, the ‌struggle has created essentially the most extreme shock to world vitality provides in historical past, sending oil costs surging due to the de facto closure of the strait.

Thousands of individuals have been killed by US-Israeli strikes on Iran and in an Israeli invasion of Lebanon carried out in parallel for the reason that struggle started on February 28. Iran responded to the assaults with missiles and drones in opposition to its Arab neighbours that host US bases.

Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, had earlier mentioned ‌the 2 sides had made progress however have been nonetheless far aside on nuclear points and the strait.

Pakistan has served as the principle mediator, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by telephone on Sunday with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian. Sharif’s workplace mentioned Pezeshkian had thanked Pakistan for its mediation efforts, in ​a readout of the decision that made no point out of Iran rejecting the following spherical of talks.

European allies, repeatedly slammed by Trump for not aiding his struggle effort, fear that Washington’s inexperienced US negotiating group is pushing for a swift, superficial deal that might seize headlines however go away months or years of technically advanced follow-on talks.

Tankers reported turned again at strait

Two liquefied petroleum fuel tankers tried to ​transit the Strait on Saturday morning however made a U-turn after reaching waters south of Larak Island, MarineTraffic vessel monitoring knowledge confirmed.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim information company reported that the vessels have been turned again by Iran’s ​armed forces. One of the tankers – the Angola-flagged LPG tanker G Summer – later exited the Gulf on a second try on Saturday night, signaling “China owner,” ​in line with the information.

Friday’s announcement that the strait would reopen triggered the sharpest one-day drop in oil costs in years and boosted inventory markets to all-time highs.

Amrita Sen, founding father of the Energy Aspects suppose tank, predicted oil costs would rise on Monday when merchants returned to their desks having realised they ​may need been overly optimistic.

“Events over the weekend with Iran firing on merchant vessels and shutting the strait again highlight just how precarious the situation is,” Sen mentioned.

Pressure mounts on Trump

Trump on Sunday additionally renewed his menace to hit Iran’s energy vegetation and bridges, persevering with a sample of such warnings all through the struggle. He abruptly introduced the ceasefire two weeks in the past, simply hours after declaring that Iran’s “whole civilisation will die tonight.”

Iran has mentioned that if the US have been to assault its civilian infrastructure it will hit energy stations and desalination vegetation of Gulf Arab neighbours.

Pressure for a method out of the struggle has mounted on Trump as his fellow Republicans ⁠put together to defend slim majorities in Congress within the November midterm elections, with US gasoline costs excessive, inflation rising and his personal approval rankings down.

On Sunday, Pakistan seemed to be getting ready for brand new talks. Two big US C-17 cargo planes landed at an ⁠air base on Sunday afternoon, carrying safety ​tools and automobiles in preparation for the US delegation’s arrival, two Pakistani safety sources mentioned.

Municipal authorities within the capital metropolis of Islamabad halted public transport and heavy-goods site visitors by town. Barbed wire was rolled out close to the Serena Hotel, the place final week’s talks have been held. The lodge instructed all friends to depart.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)