U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press briefing at the White House, following a shooting incident during the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner, in Washington D.C., U.S., Saturday. Reuters-Yonhap
ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON — Hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran faded on Sunday, as efforts to revive talks stalled and both Tehran and Washington showed little sign of softening their positions.
While Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi continued to shuttle between mediating countries over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump scrapped a visit to Islamabad by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
U.S. forces removed security equipment from the Pakistani capital, Pakistani government sources said, signalling that any U.S. delegation was unlikely to return for talks soon.
Although a ceasefire has paused full-scale fighting in the conflict, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, no agreement has been reached on terms to end a war that has killed thousands, driven up oil prices, fuelled inflation and darkened the outlook for global growth.
Tehran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, while Washington has imposed a blockade of Iran's ports.
Iran says U.S. should remove maritime blockade
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by phone that Tehran would not enter "imposed negotiations" under threats or blockade, according to a statement from the Iranian government.
He said the United States should first remove obstacles, including its maritime blockade, before negotiators could begin laying the groundwork for a settlement.
Araqchi nevertheless described his visit to mediator Pakistan as "very fruitful." After leaving Islamabad he flew to Oman — another mediator in the war — where he held talks about the war with the country's leader, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said.
Source: Korea Times News
